Good start, but then it gets ruined

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

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

This documentary looks at a group of men, incarcerated for serious crimes including murder. They are not educated guys, not even necessarily articulate guys. They are in a horrible prison that amazingly allows volunteers for an in-house Vipassanna intensive. The film shows the work to set up the space, away from normal prison life and skillfully cuts to various people involved, including the warden and mostly the prisoners. Giving themselves to the rigors of the silent retreat, spending long hours in focused mindfulness, these guys come to a clarity about themselves and about life that is simply astounding. Their followup efforts to maintain their practice and what that practice does for their behaviors and choices constitutes the rest of the film. These guys gain a wisdom and clarity and acceptance of personal responsibility that moved me to tears. So powerful. One of the most memorable films I have ever seen. Surely, anyone could benefit from this but especially, if we have any hope of rehabilitating those who end up in prison, this program should be in every prison.

This is so beautiful and inspiring! An American version of an earlier film, "Doing Time, Doing Vipassana", which takes place in an Indian prison. We are all criminals, whether we are incarcerated or not. We have all done things we regret and have to live with. Vipassana meditation shows a way out towards freedom. How utterly courageous, to do this difficult work when you know you will never be released from prison alive! Can those of us who are free cherish our freedom and use it towards good? Throughout the film, the skeptics wonder "will it last?" "Will these people really change? Is real change possible?" But they have not done the course! In the Indian prison, the prison staff took the course before the inmates.

Everyone that pays taxes should see this important documentary. When we hear about prison and violence there is always a sense of hopelessness. After all, how much more millions and millions can we spend on prisons?What we have tried over and over has not worked. The prisoners come out more violent than when they came in. There does not seem to be any solution.This film shows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. we are so used to over paying for gadgets, guns, high security and over look the simple need of humans. It is such an important film that everyone that runs a prison should see it. The folks like us that pay for these expensive prisons should certainly watch it. It is that important.

I rated this film a 10 out of 10 because I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I could really see a transformation taking place. I like that it didn't contain any sensationalized or gratuitously violent content. I'm so sick of seeing that type of stuff on TV. I do like documentaries so this one was really enjoyable. I really enjoyed learning about the people from a human standpoint. I liked it as much as a German film I saw called "Enlightenment Guaranteed". I highly recommend everyone of age go see this film. I was surprised at some of the reactions by community members etc in the film to the subject matter of the film. I wish our country was more worldly and less xenophobic. Kudos to the filmmakers for making such a wonderful, human film.