User Reviews

Really has to be seen to be believed, the loopiness of Scientology is on full display.

I liked it, before watching it I had no idea just how bad this cult was. The fact that the church went hard after people involved in this speaks for itself.

Disappointing, highbrow tabloid journalism. Has a strong start with decent background on the roots of Scientology, but too soon devolves into a lurid exposé of the weird, dark innards of the church, with far too much focus on "star" members such as Cruise and Travolta. In the end, you mostly have a big pile of guts with very little analysis. Virtually none from professionals in religious studies, psychology, etc. While decrying the church's manipulative tactics and ends/means brutality, this film resorts far too often to the same methods in making its points. That said, if you know little of Scientology, it's a good place to start learning, especially if you're thinking of joining. :-)

Terrifying expose of the Scientology movement (I'm hard pressed to call it a religion). I found it mesmerizing to watch and that all these very intelligent, well educated people would actually get **** into this world, but then again, look at Christianity.

A masterpiece of a documentary. I haven't heard of Scientology before, thus I cannot judge how deep the film went, but so far that it went it was as chilling as watching a documentary on **** Germany. This parallelization is also mentioned in the film for only a brief second, but it's very strong and accurate to ignore. Scientology should be indicted as a criminal organization and David Miscavige as leading a criminal organization, tax evasion and a dozen other obvious (in the documentary) crimes.

Few surprises here if you've read up a bit on Scientology. Still, the presentation feels honest, especially as you hear from people who were deeply committed to the church/cult but later developed doubts that were just as deep -- and disturbing.

For someone with a morbid curiosity of the cult of Scientology, Going Clear isn't exactly revelatory. Rather, it serves as a horrifying reminder of the ongoing abuse, espionage and crime of an organization whose (as one interviewee put so elegantly) rapacious thirst for power renders them seemingly infallible for decades of heinous behavior. I have no doubt that those unaware of the group and their reprehensible deeds will find this expose the most impactful. For the informed viewer, in spite of it's redundancy and untimely release (Going Clear would have been most groundbreaking had it been in the works a decade ago), this is still a disturbing watch with a subject as mystifying and baffling as any supernatural entity of evil in the science fiction novels that popularized founder L. Ron Hubbard. That doesn't mean Going Clear portrays it's subjects as entirely draconian. The film captures one of the most vital aspects of the church quite empathetically, that being the element of enticement and brainwashing new inductees fall prey to. Gibney reminds us that, however barbaric the Church of Scientology is, it is still composed of human beings, albeit people that have been warped and damaged, some beyond repair. The interviews conducted with former members are tinged with deep regret, shame, and humility. But, in the early section of the film, they also exuberantly detail the happiness and euphoria the group brought to their lives, how connected they felt to a community of like-minded people. That makes it all the more tragic then, when the curtain is pulled back and Gibney turns his lens on the group's more dark practices. Even to I, someone with an understanding of the proverbial scandal at the core of the church, as well as a proponent of the well-warranted mockery in the absurd, contradictory belief system Scientologists hold, there are some crimes depicted in Going Clear that are, frankly, horrifying. We hear testimonials of Sea Org members being paid less than two quarters an hour for backbreaking, mind numbing labor. Several of the members describe beatings and humiliations at locations similar to prison camps, and one sequence in particular is excruciatingly heartbreaking, as these inmates are forced to play a deranged, mind game of musical chairs (I won't elaborate further, but it's messed up). Nothing however, is more upsetting than hearing firsthand how many of the former members were subject to a horrid practice known as 'disconnection'. Entire families are torn asunder, as the church orders their followers to cut off ALL communication with anyone they deem a threat. One scene in particular, where a mother breaks down in tears over the forced estrangement of her daughter and granddaughter, is particularly affecting. In-depth examination of celebrity Scientologists Tom Cruise and John Travolta and their induction into the group depicts a series of briberies and manipulations, extorting these popular figures for their influence and poster-boy image. Going Clear reprimands both of these men for having spearheaded and popularized the cult, and offers a solution in Cruise and Travolta turning their backs on the group, a proposition that will sadly not be taken into consideration by either actor, as they have released statements after the release of this doc demonizing Gibney and the sentiments it expresses. We are also treated to a telling of the birth of the 'religion' and founder L. Ron Hubbard's schizophrenia and delusional paranoia. Rather than portraying him as the antichrist, however, we see a man torn apart by his psyche, whose extremist actions are the product of illness, rather than a ruthless evil. These flashbacks and accumulated archival footage is interesting and quite bizarre, though the inclusion of a voice actress reading over the testimony of his first wife rubs me the wrong way for some reason, I would have preferred they display the text on screen, rather than present a fictional re-enactment. Going Clear is a must-watch documentary, one of early 2015's most important, if not the most vital and urgent. It isn't groundbreaking from a presentation aspect, but it doesn't need to be; the polished and concise HBO aesthetic is more than serviceable. There is a feeling of stagnancy and bloat at times (the two-hour runtime, though justified, can be a bit indulgent), but the topic is just so damn baffling and hypnotic, it's hard not to look away, even at the most repulsive discoveries at the core of Going Clear

Despite its clear bias, Going Clear is thorough and beyond informative of its fascinating subject. The film benefits from its use of interviewing as a way to excite the audience rather than simply share history or fact.

If you've ever thought there was something a bit odd about Scientologists, prepare to have your preconceptions **** then some. Talking to people who had been in the religion for up to 30 years, this blows the lid on what is essentially a cult, and a dangerous one at that. What you may have thought was a harmless pastime for some rich celebrities, seems to be far more sinister and dangerous, and being led by a megalomaniac who thinks he, and his organisation, are above the law of every country.

I was distinctly disappointed in this HBO documentary on Scientology. First, let it be clear that I consider Scientology to be a cult, and a ridiculous one at that. I've read quite a bit about Scientology over the years and the disappointing thing about this documentary is that it included very little, if any, new information. Mostly what I saw and heard was a series of presentations and interviews that were not much more then a compilation of stuff that I had heard and seen before. If Scientology is an "unknown" to some viewers, the documentary probably did a good job of making them aware. For those more alert to the world, it was much like, "So, what's new?"

I've done enough Youtubing around in the Scientology topic to cover just about everything that's ever been said about Scientology. This documentary puts the nail on the coffin. Hopefully, Scientology can get buried with that coffin after this (they WILL crumble if the IRS removes their tax exemption and possibly slaps them with back taxes). Initially I can understand how people got into Scientology to begin with. The whole auditing practice isn't really a bad thing. It's sound therapy actually that probably initially helped a lot of folks. It helps them build confidence and feel like they can accomplish a great many things. While that kind of therapy isn't limited to Scientology, I think (as was mentioned at some point in the documentary) that their success is directly attributed to Scientology itself, and not the person's own personal power and choices. That's the "bait and switch" they talk about at the end. These people don't even know what the hell the ACTUAL myth behind Scientology's "religion" is until they manage to hit the upper echelon within the church. They are told the information could harm those not ready, so this crazy ass story (which makes PERFECT sense when you look at L. Ron Hubbard's extensive science fiction writing background) doesn't even reach newcomers. If more people got the gist of Scientology up front, they probably wouldn't even join to begin with. Honestly, take one look at L. Ron Hubbard when they're speaking to him and tell me you don't see something wrong with that guy. You ever just look at someone, and KNOW they ain't right in the head? If you can't, you'd probably make a good candidate for Scientology. I used to think John Travolta and Tom Cruise were big players for Scientology, and I realize after this documentary that notion is only PARTLY true. John Travolta clearly felt like his astounding success was a RESULT of the auditing therapy he received, which helped his confidence a great deal. I imagine the same goes for Tom Cruise. The reality is, these auditing sessions pry every nook and cranny of the subject, and they make sure to keep records of these sessions. Travolta and Cruise have every dirty little secret in their lives documented within the church of Scientology. Even if they wanted out, they risk their darkest secrets being exposed. They are nothing more than pawns for the agenda of Scientology. Who knows, they may even want out at this point. This documentary sheds a much needed light, on a much needed screen. The inner workings of Scientology are absolutely inhumane and need to cease immediately. Our greatest hope at this point should be the IRS eliminating their **** religious tax exemption, and slapping back taxes for all those years they managed to scam the government and hundreds of thousands of people around the world. If the IRS does this, Scientology WILL crumble.

I only knew a skim detail of the "religion" Scientology before watching this documentary. Whenever you know a lot about Scientology or you have no idea about it, this documentary is a nice recap or a great way to learn about the controversial "religion". This is a very excellently made documentary. The filmmakers did a very good job on the information they have and turned it into a story from the origins of Scientology and its founder L. Ron Hubbard in the 50s to the corruption from the current heads of Scientology and its power the "religion" had on Hollywood actors like Tom Cruise and John Travolta in the present. The documentary gave me the feels and the tense I had watching watching a very good horror movie because there were a lot of parts that made me so shocked and terrified so much. This is a merit for its great storytelling. I will give praise to the former members of Scientology speaking up in the documentary about their experiences in the Church of Scientology and why they left the Church. They're quite brave to open this up because the heads of the "religion" are pure evil and scary if you're a former member of Scientology or generally someone who insults Scientology. Technical wise, the documentary had smart editing and directing and some of the reenactment scenes made the documentary so more intense to watch. While this documentary did not cover other Scientology related issues, this documentary is a good aid on learning about Scientology for people who don't know about it or a good lesson recap for the people who needs a well organized documentary about Scientology to refresh their minds.

Wow, a real eye opener. No wonder you keep hearing things about them. Tom Cruise comes off as someone not very deep. He is a engaging actor but it really makes you think. A bit Michael Moore like because it has one point of view... then again Scientology doesn't have anyone speaking for them that doesn't sound like anything but a robot. It was a bit creepy that all their trappings did have a bit **** in WWII look.

This documentary was one of the best I've ever seen, and I watch A LOT of documentaries. Anyone who likes Dawkins, Hitchens, or Maher (etc) will love this. About 30 mins in, your jaw will drop and stay there. Plus, John Travolta and Tom Cruise like you've never imagined!