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Devil's Playground

Play trailer Poster for Devil's Playground 2002 1h 16m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
56% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Teenagers stream in and reach for bottles of beer with both hands while a deafening band tries AC/DC covers with two chords. The alcohol leads to cocaine and the party hits a fever pitch before boys and girls begin to pair off for the night. This could be a typical high school get together if it were not for one striking characteristic: These kids are Amish.

Critics Reviews

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Film Threat 12/06/2005
2.5/5
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 10/07/2005
3/5
Martin Scribbs Low IQ Canadian 06/13/2004
Devil's Playground is a classic exposition of the choice between freedom and order, between a closed society and an open one. Go to Full Review
Michael W. Phillips, Jr. Goatdog's Movies 03/07/2004
2.5/5
More an Amish reality show than a serious look into the topic. Go to Full Review
John A. Nesbit Old School Reviews 11/12/2003
B
a reasonably entertaining and extremely insightful 77-minute examination of Amish culture, giving us privy to a world we'd never otherwise experience Go to Full Review
Marcy Dermansky About.com 10/24/2003
4/5
Lucy Walker neither criticizes, romanticizes nor patronizes her subject. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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10/14/2015 Devils Playground has an interesting message about Amish culture. This documentary follows the lives and rituals of Amish minors who are deciding whether or not they want to join the church and be with their parents or be English and have all the things everyday Americans have. It's interesting to see what is socially acceptable to the Amish during this phase because the police have become accustomed to them partying, drinking, and even meth dealing. This is all a part of what these teenagers go through during the phase of rumspringa. The characters learn from their mistakes that they encounter and might not always correctly act on these decisions but in the very least we get a small lesson on what too much partying and drugs will do to you. This is the problem with the doc though is that it feels way too much like an informational video FOR the Amish and more of a history lesson for us which in the least is interesting sometimes. There's almost too much information on why we shouldn't do the things the kids did. The movie goes on way too long with Faron's life which honestly wasn't even interesting in the last 35 minutes. He made poor decisions and it just came off as really depressing and mopey the way it ended. I feel like Devil's Playground had good intentions to show how Amish kids act during rumspringa but it just carried on way too long with not enough interesting information to keep me occupied. C+ See more 04/01/2013 This probably would have been more impactful if I hadn't already seen other specials on the same subject. It's still interesting to watch these Amish teens given free reign to the "English" world and how they handle that. See more 03/29/2013 This documentary starts off with flying color's but eventually falls a bit flat. The story of Amish Tradition when a child hits 16 and it's ability to try the outside world so to speak and the consequences & growing up they experience. I think the problem this Doco is that centered on only 2 main people and although not the whole case it did at times have a reality tv feel. The really are a unique people Amish but they are very devoted, not a great Doco but not entirely a waste of time. See more 03/25/2013 A somewhat interesting documentary that focuses on an old, ordered religious society and the temptations of the modern world. Director Lucy Walker explores Amish youth who go out to "sow their wild oats." The weakness of the documentary is that it sometimes seems voyeuristic. The strengths are the focus on Amish community in paradox with the modern world. See more 10/20/2012 A documentary about Amish teenagers during a period of "rumspringa" when they are allowed to do anything they want before joining the Amish church, if they so choose. Lots of teenage emotions. Very human. RECOMMENDED. See more 09/28/2012 September 13, 2012--> Watched via HULU+... See more Read all reviews
Devil's Playground

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Movie Info

Synopsis Teenagers stream in and reach for bottles of beer with both hands while a deafening band tries AC/DC covers with two chords. The alcohol leads to cocaine and the party hits a fever pitch before boys and girls begin to pair off for the night. This could be a typical high school get together if it were not for one striking characteristic: These kids are Amish.
Director
Lucy Walker
Producer
Steven Cantor
Production Co
WinStar Cinema, Stick Figure Productions, Cinemax Reel Life
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 15, 2002, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
May 3, 2017
Runtime
1h 16m