recommended

n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

I just watched this through Netflix, based on a recommendation and can't believe I'd never heard of it before. Rather striking and amazing film. When has there ever been a film, (fiction or non) like this one before? I promise you that you had noooooooooo idea that the Amish could behave in this way and that it was acceptable -- A stunning doc! It opened my eyes in many ways. I had no idea that such a rigid, conservative culture could also possess such a wide-open and "liberal" component to their lifestyle. You want to applaud them and deride them almost simultaneously. And the fact that you are capable of holding two such contrarian feelings is a testament to the power of the director, Lucy Walker. She films everything with a steady, knowing hand. I was riveted. Why didn't I know about this movie? When is Ms. Walker making another film?!?

*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.

Contains spoilers... This movie cannot really call itself a documentary on the Amish, as the Amish themselves largely decline to be interviewed. One wonders why the film- makers bothered to make this movie, given the lack of cooperation on the part of their alleged subjects. The first few minutes of the "Commentary" feature on DVD sheds some light on this question: the film-makers seem to have been desperate to get something, anything, on HBO, and not until they came up with the tabloid story about an Amish kid who is hooked on crystal meth would they be accepted by HBO. Too bad they had to advertise it as a "glimpse into the lives of the rarely filmed Amish" -- this movie is simply not about the Amish. It does not give any context for the radical transition called "Rumspringa". It does not attempt to discuss how an Amish teen is prepared via their community for Rumspringa or how they perceive the "rite" before, during, or after going through it. The Amish are shown us utterly unreflective, and I can only assume that this is an utterly unfair representation of them. They were not ready to be filmed, for their own reasons, but the film-makers were all too ready to make this film, for their own, rather different reasons.

I never knew about 'Rumspringn', and i have always loved the Amish culture. After seeing this documentary, i often wonder if i'm running into Amish guys in the malls and other places. I no longer wish to be Amish. But the thing that does stand out to me is how receptive the Amish church is to the kids that come back. I mean you've got all these other 'Christian' religions that shun people when they've sined and want to come back. but the Amish tell the kids, as long as you stop doing what you've been doing, you're not only welcomed back, but loved and accepted. THAT is how its supposed to be.I hope they maybe follow up to it and find out how everyone is doing.