1,115 Ratings

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

United States, 2015

Documentary

Synopsis

Based on Lawrence Wright’s book, Alex Gibney’s film is a provocative exposé of the inner workings of the Church of Scientology, balancing interviews of former members with insightful history—including the organization’s origins and a profile of its founder, science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard.

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Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief Directed by Alex Gibney

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Awards & Festivals

Village Voice Film Poll

2015 | Nominee: Best Documentary

Indiewire Critics' Poll

2015 | Nominee: Best Documentary

Directors Guild of America

2016 | Nominee: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary

Writers Guild of America

2016 | Winner: Best Documentary Screenplay (Screen)

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Cast & Crew

Critics reviews

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If you can dream up something weird that Scientology may have devised to hogtie its membership, chances are they’ve beaten you to it. The entire movement is an ocean of weirdness, so much so that a feature-length documentary has a job on its hands picking out the salient examples… For Gibney, fear is the glue holding the whole edifice together. The film’s strongest assault is on Miscavige himself, whom it presents as physically and mentally abusive towards his own staff.

Tim Robey

June 26, 2015

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At the heart of it all, Gibney has made a great film about the dangers of blind faith or, as the subtitle of “Going Clear” puts it, “the prison of belief” — a phenomenon hardly unique to Scientology, and whose consequences are all too apparent in today’s headlines.

Scott Foundas

January 25, 2015

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The revelations in Alex Gibney’s new documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief won’t come as a huge surprise to folks who’ve read Lawrence Wright’s devastating, similarly titled book-length exposé. But any way you cut it, this is still spectacular stuff.

Bilge Ebiri

January 25, 2015

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What are people saying?

Jon's rating of the film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Jon

Wierd, I normally abhor films with Tom Cruise in... but this was engaging, interesting, emotionally warm and very watchable
May 16, 2019 22:20
- 7
- 0
miles's rating of the film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
miles

Very informative, and approached from a different angel from Louis documentary. Both great and compliment each other if watched back to back.
April 18, 2019 02:27
- 1
- 0
Henry Spencer's rating of the film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Henry Spencer

Great documentary on how Scientology terrorizes its flock. If you liked this, and would like more insight into the way Scientology hounds its detractors, check out BBC's "Scientology and Me" and "The Secrets of Scientology".
April 24, 2019 08:31
- 2
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†. Kennedy Pope's rating of the film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
†. Kennedy Pope

If you're familiar with Scientology on only a surface-level, then this is a fascinating documentary to watch. Every religious institution has an unsightly underbelly; but to me, none stand-out in a more baffling way than this. The only thing that could've improved it was more balanced commentary from current members of the church to get a fuller perspective.
May 10, 2019 19:23
- 1
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Filipe F. Coutinho's rating of the film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Filipe F. Coutinho

More than offering a horrifying look at the inner works of the Church of Scientology, Gibney's documentary analyzes how doctrines imprison people in their own beliefs and the psychological games that benefit no one except those who attempt to profit from the believers' naïveté. Gibney showcases the nature of man, their lack of capability to deal with the unknown and the forever haunting struggle to be meaningful.
May 10, 2019 20:55
- 5
- 0
Petra Simmons's rating of the film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Petra Simmons

I wonder if, after months of investigating the manufacturing of belief, and tactics of persuasion, the filmmaking process itself becomes fraught with caution and self-reflection. I hope so. Maybe that's what was behind Gibney's choice to use textbook documentary techniques, and to stick with already-known facts. Still, what results is effective & watchable. (It's not called tried & true for nothing.) Not bad at all.
November 22, 2015 23:19
- 1
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mjgildea's rating of the film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
mjgildea

Going Clear did a great job of getting its audience riled up with further exposure to the atrocities for which the church is known. The interviews with former long-time church members were definitely illuminating but for as fired up as Going Clear got me it felt like more of a (justified) one-sided slam piece than an objective documentary.
July 14, 2015 16:10
- 1
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MATTEO BITTANTI's rating of the film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
MATTEO BITTANTI

Scientology is an abomination that could prosper only in a Neoliberal country like the US. Gibney shows how the factors that allowed this cult to develop and prosper: weakened governmental structures (a tamed IRS), widespread ignorance, cult of celebrity, and the existence privatized para-military organizations. All in the name of free expression.
May 17, 2019 14:20
- 10
- 0