This is a documentary featuring a crackpot couple of parents and the 7 children they’ve home school and raised in near-complete isolation. The family lives in a 4-bedroom apartment in 
Manhattan and have rarely left it. The kids are totally ignorant of the world outside their windows, but spend their time looking at another screen – their television. Enamoured with movies, they seem to have saved themselves from the nuthouse by finding a creative outlet in faithfully recreating their favourite movies.
They write scripts literally by taking long-hand dictation from the movie, one line at a time, and then typing it up with an ancient typewriter. They make astounding costumes and props using notebook paper and cardboard but end up with a product so realistic the police raided them on a gun charge.
It’s hard to watch this movie because this crazy way of life was imposed by a father who apparently hates the country that is feeding and housing him (he “shows his rebellion” by not working, although he would make an exception for a recording contract, (so obviously his beliefs are quite sincere) and has infected his family with such a pervasive feeling of paranoia that neither his wife nor children met with the outside world for 14 years.
When the 6 boys are finally old enough to venture out, everything is new and strange and bright; maybe too bright. Everything appears to be suddenly “3D” to them, and when they see trees up close and glorious, they can only compare them to a forest they’ve seen in Lord of the Rings.
The kids are well-spoken and capable – despite, not because of their upbringing. They are 
fiercely protective of their mother who has fostered their creativity and seems to have been abused and subjugated by her husband right alongside her children.
The father remains a blurry presence in the life of his family, and within the documentary. He appears occasionally but seems to know he’s this movie’s villain. Worse still, the 7th child, a sister, is nearly completely ignored.
The boys met film maker Crystal Moselle by chance on one of their first outings as a group. A film student, the 6-pack of brothers with waist-long hair, dark suits and Raybans caught her eye, and she’s followed them ever since. Their world is definitely fascinating, and at times frustrating (like it or not, they’ve caught their father’s paranoia) but unfortunately, this documentary doesn’t have much to say. Yes, this was a crazy upbringing, a crazy life – but so what? Moselle doesn’t seem to have a point to make. And while I found this to be an eminently interesting watch, it wasn’t an enlightening one.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
I heard about this, but I don’t know if I can handle watching it. Might tear my heart out too much.
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It’s tough. I had a hard time trying to not judge the mother. She’s a victim too, but protect your kids!
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Wow, how bizarre! I’d watch the movie because it seems so weird. The movie seems to be lacking in a storyline. It’s sounds like an interesting premise or interesting characters to put in a movie. Thanks for the review!
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You got it. It’s a bit empty but it’s still endlessly fascinating.
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Jay,
Like your site. 🙂
The idea that a filmmaker / storyteller doesn’t enlighten…just presents an interesting story is refreshing to a degree. Maybe Moselle re-visits the family in another few years for a better formed impression. This story seems a little raw, with so much flux that getting a neat bow on it would be asking a lot. I’ll check it out sometime.
Cheers,
RidicuRyder
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I get it. I’m just asking more of my documentaries.
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Sounds like a real life gender-swapped Virgin Suicides. It’s sad that the father was allowed to raise them that way.
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It is sad. Apparently children’s services kept looking in, but they can’t do anything about alternative lifestyle choices. I still think those kids were seriously and detrimentally deprived. I hope they’re getting out and getting better. I’d love to see a follow up.
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Good review. I have been very interested in seeing this documentary. I was sorry to read that while it was entertaining to a degree, it didn’t have anything to say. The father sounds like a real nut case.
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It’s still a pretty nifty piece of voyeurism.
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that’s so weird, I checked out the trailer, on the maybe list, at the top.
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How crazy..I think I’m going to watch it just because I’m so curious.
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That’s the BEST reason to watch it!
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Oh you AsWMs. There was a pile o’ projects on my desk, and instead of getting to them, just watched the ABC news version of the story. Hanky and all. Gawd. Thanks a lot. Really.
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So sorry. It really is an extraordinary story.
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Agree that there was nothing enlightening. Felt vaguely exploitative too.
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Yes, the boys are clearly very naive.
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That’s what a movie watching can do !
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Happy happy Thursday ☺ by Rinaldo from Venice Italy.
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My first thought upon reading the title was “Oh, god why doesn’t the Hangover franchise just die already???”
Now that actually know what the movie’s about, I think it looks fairly interesting, if a bit empty, like you mentioned.
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I kind of want to see this. Seems so intriguing.
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I just saw the trailer for this the other day. It didn’t immediately appeal to me but I might check it out anyway. Sounds intriguing.
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I read about this family and the documentary a while back and, despite some weariness over who the project benefited, I’m fairly intrigued.
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