CommentsXp Best movie ever!

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

scarletminded *May be spoilers, read at your own risk*This documentary was a very real look into what Amish teens go through trying to decide if they want to become "English," the Amish term for people who live in the modern way of life or joining their families in the Amish faith, which is very oppressive. The parents allow their children to smoke, take drugs, drink, listen to music, drive cars (just the boys) and wear "English" clothes, starting at age 16 until they decide if they want to be with their families or be in the outside world. They live in a half English/ Amish state during this time.It is a right of passage that is used to show them how bad the outside world is. With an 8th grade education and lack of work experience (the boys at least work outside the home, most girls don't even have outside work experience,) it is hard for these teens not to get into trouble and that is the main reason they return. No wonder the Amish consider the outside world to be sinful, they haven't given their children the education to check out a college, library or museum, or even to understand what a city is, so no wonder they party. They seem to have no other choice but to sit and play video games all day. I grew up in this area and have seen this ritual first hand. I had to laugh when a read a critique here that said the girl who was dating Farron, who is the main character of the piece, couldn't be Amish. Don't they realize that the first thing a girl is going to do who wants to wear English clothing (which is a rare case, since most girls don't wear English clothing, but most boys do) is to go to the tanning salon? Tanning is a big deal where I grew up in Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana. Believe me, being pale myself, I got a lot of teasing due to my light skin. If they want to conform to other teens, of course they are going to tan themselves to a golden glow. Plus, Germans aren't all blonde and blue eyed. It isn't like the village in the Children of the Damned! There are brown eyed Dutch and Germans with non-fair coloring. Plus some people bring their non-Amish boyfriends and girlfriends into the flock. Statements like that can be very ignorant and take away from how informative this documentary is. I wasn't listening to the music at all, I was listening to information about the Amish, which is what this documentary gives you. I also learned that there are some Amish people living in Flordia, so a tan would happen to anyone there who would be out in the sun working. I am amazed that they would even live there. Seems a contradiction in terms, but as you watch this film, you will see that the Amish have a lot of ideas like these. The DVD is even better, because the commentary gives you many insights and stories not included in this documentary. The producers of this had about 300 hours of interviews, so I am sure editing was a chore! They did show a few girls and a boy who left and several who had stayed, or though undecided, would probably join the church in the future. There is one story of a girl who decided after she joined the church that she didn't want to get married so she was shunned by the community like a modern day Scarlet Letter story. The Amish practice shunning when someone breaks the pact of the church or leaves the community. I felt very bad for her. But overall, despite not being able to see her family or friends, she seems to have made the right choice for herself, because she wants to be free and go to college. It is heartbreaking to see though, especially when you have grown up in the area and see it firsthand. It is a shame though that most of the Amish kids only see Wal-mart and drinking as the outside world. They seem to not understand it is a place where there is much beauty and pleasure and it is a place where you can educate yourself. I would think God would let them better themselves and still live a Christian life. I know think the world was meant to be a closed place where the outside world is known as the Devil's Playground.

Ralph Michael Stein To a large extent, the inherent friction between America's central majority and diverse religious minority groups is controlled and channeled by a matrix of Constitutional Law principles. Court decisions insure that minority rights are protected against what often has been the mainstream's desire or perceived need to force assimilation or even attempt destruction through law or mob action. The latter has happened in American history with regard to the Shakers and Mormons. Both groups and Southern snake-handling churches have frequently encountered major legal restrictions. .The Amish occupy a more protected place than some other Christian fundamentalists. Living in large communities side by side with the "english", as they call without distinction all others, their energy, excellent and desired produce and products and reputation for orderly, crime-free lives has insured respect. Temptation rather than persecution is the main foe of the Amish commitment to a simple lifestyle.Director Lucy Walker's documentary, "Devil's Playground" is a rare but possibly too limited view of Amish life, largely in Indiana. The Amish covet their privacy and most members of the church do not allow themselves to be filmed or interviewed although strictures vary from community to community. Generally, the Amish eschew using much of the apparatus of American communal and political life. For instance, while they will not send children to public school past the eighth grade, relief from compulsory education laws through a Supreme Court decision only came about because several Amish parents passively permitted others to litigate on their behalf (Wisconsin v. Yoder)."Devil's Playground" introduces the viewer to "rumspiga," the planned release off the parental and community leash of teenagers on their sixteenth birthday. According to the young men and women interviewed, virtually anything goes during an indefinite period of freedom that can end in a few months or go on to age 21. At some point each youth decides whether to embark on a life outside Amish society or take church vows that are considered inviolable once voluntarily assumed. Defectors are shunned by family and friends if they leave the church after taking the vows.The film follows Amish youth to huge parties monitored by justifiably concerned Indiana police. Sex appears to be a route for some but dancing and excessive consumption of alcohol is a key activity for most, especially the males. Some fall into the world of drugs, including dealing. Faron, a clearly troubled young man, is followed by the camera crew from innocent flirtation and all-night partying to serious drug taking to felony selling. Subsequent threats to his life came after he cooperated with the police.The females seem to be more hesitant about unshackling fetters than males. The boys all adopt everyday teen garb while the girls experiment with beer and cosmetics but largely remain clothed in traditional attire. Interestingly, many of the boys take on "english" girlfriends, a safety mechanism that actually lessens the likelihood of their permanently abandoning their community.A number of Amish youths discuss their family relations and whether they will join the church or adopt a new lifestyle. Many comments have a rehearsed quality, not surprising when the speakers haven't been brought up to freely express themselves.A postscript notes that some ninety percent of Amish youth resolve to join the church, giving up cars for buggies, t-shirts for bland work clothes and beer for juice. One clear clue as to why the retention rate is so high is the virtual total lack of intellectual curiosity or desire for education in the Amish youth population. What seems to be a period of genuine freedom is really a very clever release of people whose likelihood to question or rebel is suitably repressed rather than advanced by an episode of largely aimless partying.What isn't clear from "Devil's Playground" is the extent to which Amish youth in general go as hog wild as the participants in the documentary. The young interviewees wanted the attention of the film-maker for reasons ranging from narcissism to a need to self-justify life-altering decisions. It would have been very useful to incorporate insights from non-Amish scholars, including psychologists, who could discuss the teens' experiences and responses in a measured objectivity.But this is one fine documentary.8/10.

libbyspears Contains Spoilers... in fact, not just the best documentary i have ever seen, but one of the best movies i've ever seen. Maybe THE best movie I've ever seen. It cuts through all prejudice and cliche to the human heart of the story, and it's the most compelling narrative story you'll ever find - but this masterpiece is constructed out of the plain documentary truth about a bunch of teenagers. I'm haunted by these kids, and by the power of the images. Try to see it on a big screen because the shots are unbelievable. The beauty and simplicity - and austerity - of Amish life. Forget Witness, now you can see it for real for the first time - I don't think anybody filmed Amish people ever before, and this film is only Amish people. And then there are the scenes of crazy sex drugs and hiphop... with Amish kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you ever see Amish girls in traditional white bonnets and frilly dresses double-fisting Coors Lights and screaming for more more more at an Amish hoedown? You'll see why they say that "Amish kids got the best parties" - and don't tell me you knew that already. You couldn't make this stuff up. I wouldn't buy it in a fiction movie. I don't know how Amish people who have never before let themselves be filmed let this filmmaker film them doing things that they would most want to hide... it's some feat. It's not just the shocking revelation that Amish kids are kids too and have problems, it's that these kids have such an incredibly tough decision (to be or not to be Amish) at such a dramatic age, and they see the world through such unique bifocal lenses (Amish and "English") - and the film lets us FEEL that with them. I wanted to invite all of the featured characters over to my house - they each have such a heart-breaking story with so many ups and downs and twists and turns. It's wild that a film lets you be totally sympathetic with a drug dealer, not least a drug dealer who turns out to be a narcotics informer - the person you would LEAST expect to EVER sympathize with. A narc dealer should be hated by about everybody alive. But this kid is mesmerizing. I lost count of how many times a shiver went down my spine. There but for the grace of god go I. My only complaint is that I wanted it to be longer and that I can't wait for them to make a follow-up.

utahfilmmaker I thought for sure that a movie about Amish-teenagers-gone-bad would be a series of images of Amish kids dressed in traditional garb drinking, getting high, and sleeping around. I expected it to be a spectacle which would get old fast, and I went into the movie with this bias. It turned out to be one of the best documentaries I've seen in a while. For one thing, the director had the perfect balance of showing a broad social situation (rebellious Amish kids in general) and a more character centered story (the drug addicted Amish youth Faron). You're getting the factual information you need, as well as the emotional punch of what Faron is going through. The director is able to show very clearly the effect of Amish society on these kids without ever forcing a direct connection or being exploitative.