The Source Family (2013)

Instant Favorite.

Great Film overall

Good movie but grossly overrated

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

It is only near the end of the film that you realize that its whole orientation is bizarrely supportive and even advocating in favor of one of the most well-known cult of the 70's. This movie is about a despicable crazed man, as poisonous and manipulative as most cult leaders, and at no point during the movie filled with a soundtrack of the trashy and unbearable hippie music the cult "produced" will a strong catharsis critique be heard against the pathetic group of young and beautiful brainless lost children lead by a middle-ages ex-convict who calls himself nothing less than "God".

The reviewers so far are commenting on their opinion of the SUBJECT of the film, not the filmmaking. The job of the filmmakers is to get a reaction and experience the subject - good, bad or indifferent.This is a terrific documentary. I have rarely seen a doc that has been so well researched and has so much archival material. Plus they have tracked down all these folks who were originally part of this crazy, cultural experiment. Amazing story. As a cultural document is so strong, but with the addition of all the insider participation it transforms itself into a one-of-a-kind experience. One of the best of the recent Americana docs. - thanks.

This is a documentary about the so-called 'Source Family'--a cult built around an odd guru in California. This man, who renamed himself 'Father Yod', slowly took the group from one that saw him as a great spiritual leader to a god-like being who should be obeyed without question. This is actually pretty typical of many of the cults of the era but what makes this one a little confusing is the ending. Now, many years later, his followers are interviewed--and some sound as if they STILL think he was god, some see him as flawed but a good part of their lives and a few see him as a huckster--though this seems like the minority. So, if you are looking for clear answers, this isn't what you'll find. Instead, it's a film that you watch and make of it what you will. As for me, I found it mildly interesting but nothing more. In fact, I got far less out of it than "Commune"--a similar sort of documentary that was made very interesting due to folks' insights into their group today.

The movie was interesting and lesson in that you shouldn't get sucked into these goofy groups with a charismatic leader.Reminded me a little of reading about Ayn Rand's in-crowd "the collective," until the end, then it reminded me a lot. There is something about getting people at a young age and feeding them some inside knowledge that keeps them for life.Of course the interviewees are self selected, I would guess there are members out there who feel fooled and ridiculous for falling for all of this non-sense and didn't want any part.At the end we find out these people are not overly upset being the minions of a kooky sex cult leader, they even use the knowledge gained to be life coaches and whatnot, furthering the unreality