Rating: 
Summary: thoughtful, provocative and strangely engrossing
Review: The subject matter of "Devil's Playground" makes it sound like a bad comedy sketch: It's about Amish kids gone wild. That description evokes images of girls in white bonnets partying down, and chain-smoking boys cruising around in their buggies. And while the movie does in fact present such scenes, it's actually a serious, non-glamorizing, non-patronizing look at cultures, religion and youth. When children in the Amish community turn 16, they enter a period called rumspringa, during which they're exempt from the restrictions of the church and are allowed to experience the outside world before deciding whether or not they want to permanently commit to the Amish way of life - they have to face temptation before they can reject it. And the teens in "Devil's Playground" almost immediately take to temptation and what they call the "English" culture like nobody's business. They don baggy jeans and visors and doo-rags, get pierced, absorb videogames and MTV, buy cars and move out of their parents' homes. "If I was living at home," says one Amish teen, "I couldn't have 200 channels of DirecTV, stereo, Nintendo and a fridge full of beer." "Devil's Playground" focuses on several different teens during their rumspringa: One moves into a small trailer and hosts a seemingly non-stop party for two years before he simply decides to go home and commit to his religion. Another leaves behind her family and fiancee so she can go to college, and the scene in which she tries on the plain dark wedding dress she made as a girl but no longer needs is both terribly sad and incredibly hopeful at the same time. But the central figure in the movie is Faron, a preacher's son and a methamphetamine dealer whose life spirals out of control and into serious trouble, on camera. Faron's ups-and-downs are vividly chronicled, and even when he's making terrible decisions he's an interesting and articulate presence. By the end of the movie - at which point it's claimed that about 90% of Amish teens do eventually commit to their religion for life - he's become an unlikely but sympathetic spokesperson for a group he appears to be leaving behind. "Devil's Playground" is a surprisingly sober, thoughtful and provocative film that casts an objective eye on an unusual phenomenon. The DVD includes an incredibly informative commentary by writer-director Lucy Walker, producer Steven Cantor and editor Pax Wassermann, who explain how they got access to the Amish community, how they found their subjects and how they organized the stories and information they gathered.
Rating:
Summary: At times charming and at times heartbreaking
Review: This award-winning documentary exposes the Amish tradition of "Rumspringa," where sixteen-year-olds are released from their traditional roles, and allowed to investigate the outside world, and experience life outside the Amish community. The documentary follows several Amish young people, focusing primary on Faron Yoder, a pastor's son who becomes a drug-addict and dealer, and struggles to find his own path in life. But, while this is definitely not a pro-Amish film, neither is it strictly anti-Amish either. Instead, the film presents the experiences of these young people, as some move off into a new life away from the Amish community, and some return to become faithful and contented members. I must admit that this is one of the hardest movies I have ever had to review, as my own thoughts about it go in many different directions. First of all, the Amish community is not a unified homogenous whole, and some churches have different ways of doing things than others. As such, this movie is slightly misleading, as it seems to suggest that the experiences shown are common to ALL Amish young people. Secondly, while the makers of this movie followed those young people who enthusiastically embraced the sex-drugs-and-rock n' roll lifestyle, I happen to know that not all Amish kids on Rumspringa do. But, that said, this movie does follow real people, living real lives. The movie is powerful and thought-provoking, and really brings you into the lives and experiences of these young people. In the Special Features section of this DVD, among the deleted scenes is one entitle "Perspectives on Amish Life." I really wish that that scene was included in the documentary, as it does help put things into perspective. Overall, I found this to be a really good movie - at times charming and at times heartbreaking. Did it make me happy? No. But, am I glad I watched it? Most assuredly. I highly recommend this movie to you.
Rating: 
Summary: Amish Life
Review: This is a gerally great DVD. It talks about the life style of the Amish and how they must decied if they still want to be Amish.
It's very informetive espically for someone who doesn't know allot about the Amish life.
When an Amish person turns sixteen. They can explore our world basicly.
I think the documentry really worked out well. You get to see many differn't sides of the Amish cultar.
It's intersting becaouse you realize that where not so differn't from each other really.
Peopole seem to forget that the Amish are human beings and they do make mistakes. That's why I thihnk this documentry is wonderfull. You learn information you never would think about.
Rating: 
Summary: Unique documentary
Review: This is an interesting film about the lives of Amish teenagers. After the film I was left thinking that the Amish church has some pretty bizarre beliefs and practices-
That they can be so strict and segregated from modern society, yet all of a sudden once the kids are teenagers they can engage & dabble in "sinful" behaviors, such as drugs, and pre-marital sex.
Either the kids get confused and overwhelmed by American materialism and decide to join the church, or completely abandon their faith and join the rest of modern civilization. However, in my personal opinion, the belief in
"Rumspringa" is a dangerous, and manipulative tactic by the church. Overall, its definitely worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: fly on the wall
Review: wonderful film, unpretentious, nondogmatic, just curious, open-minded, and patient, and with one of the better ambient music soundtracks you're likely ever to encounter
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