Holy Hell
A former member turns his camera on the seductive community, spiritual authority, and eventual collapse of a West Hollywood cult.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- intimate
- unsettling
- reflective
- documentary night
- investigative viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly valued the documentary's unprecedented insider access and intimate archival footage, while finding its analysis of cult psychology and religion insufficiently probing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Will Allen was a member of Buddhafield and uses his own experience alongside participant interviews and recovered footage.
The film centers on a teacher whose influence over Buddhafield members contributes to the group's eventual implosion.
Allen's behind-the-scenes footage of Buddhafield is juxtaposed with retrospective accounts of the community's history.
Buddhafield is presented as a West Hollywood religious community formed around a charismatic teacher in the 1980s.
Films like Holy Hell, and why
Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief
first-person access to charismatic religious communities and their psychological control
Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult
intimate documentary investigation of coercive communal belief and institutional abuse
Wild Wild Country
personal testimony and archival material tracing the rise and collapse of a charismatic spiritual movement
Movie Details
- Director
- Will Allen
- Release Date
- 2016-05-27
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (135)
Cast
- Will Allen
- Jamie Simone Gomez
- Dimitrius Pulido
- Phillipe Coquet
- Amy Allen
- Cristala Allen
- Gina Allen
- Jennifer Baca
- Alessandra Burenin
- Vera Cheiffo
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Holy Hell about?
- A former member turns his camera on the seductive community, spiritual authority, and eventual collapse of a West Hollywood cult.
- What is Holy Hell like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Holy Hell as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Holy Hell violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Holy Hell.
- What did critics think of Holy Hell?
- Critics broadly valued the documentary's unprecedented insider access and intimate archival footage, while finding its analysis of cult psychology and religion insufficiently probing.
- Which films are like Holy Hell?
- Films with a similar feel include Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief, Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult, and Wild Wild Country.
- How long is Holy Hell?
- Holy Hell runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Holy Hell?
- In United States, Holy Hell streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
