Louis Theroux: The Most Hated Family in America

It's still the best Theroux documentary just for how outlandish and depressing it is, but after watching the two "revisiting" docs made later it sinks in that giving them any kind of attention was counterproductive.

Really not that insightful and I hate giving these idiots more exposure than they already have but they are so delusional about this fairy tale that they believe in that it becomes strangely fascinating and creepy in its own way. And man, if these people are gonna be in heaven I can't wait to be in hell. Burning for eternity with Hitler and Stalin seems more pleasant than being around these people.

Somebody please kill them already. Burn their house. Lock the doors. Snort their ashes. Dance hard to techno.

While Louis' interview with Fred Phelps is quite short and Phelps refuses to answer many questions I believe that says more about his character than any answer he could've given. Theroux interviews many members of Phelps' church who are surprisingly open about their anti-gay and doomsday religion, as well as their personal lives. While I doubt anyone would agree with their religion we are able to see them as people, terribly misguided, but still people nonetheless.

Wow some people are really f*ing insane. I wouldn't want to come near this deranged family. But it is a well made documentary. The subjects are presented fairly objectively. It is also a bit comical in a dark and twisted way. I mean if you're going to believe something so deeply at least have a plausible explanation as to why it is so, not just some 2000 year-old misinterpreted writings.

Powerhouse performance by Frances McDormand.

I almost feel bad for having such a good laugh on Phelps account. Obviously, these people aren't mentally healthy. And comparing to nazis they don't even seem dangerous. They are just like IRL trolls, except they actually believe in the crap they are saying.

Theroux is clearly a better man than me, I would most likely have grabbed the wheel to drive this clusterfuck into a wall when they went to Chicago. He, however, didn't. I was actually surprised he didn't. But I was thankful, too - because even though we don't get the narrative pumping an opinion down our throats(As in other docs) we get to learn quite a bunch about the people behind the hate mongering, and having the opportunity to see that there are just people behind the message is comforting

Amazing documentary if just for the amazing subjects in it. It's such an insight into this utterly deranged "religion" especially the interview with the leader himself. It's so bizarre to think that something like this exists today and is almost completely disheartening the amount of hate they try to spread around and the amount of self-assuredness they have about it and the impact it has on their children. Stunning film.

Even if there was a God who believed this shit, he wouldn't be worth worshiping. Fred Phelps' rebuttal that Louie is too stupid to understand his answers is telling of their outright refusal to accept anything less than what they believe. I suppose it's something that they have the courage to back their convictions...even if their convictions are facile and anti-human.

Frightening and sickening

shocking

Of anthropological interest.

At one point in the documentary, Theroux mentions that family members work normal jobs in their town, and this keeps their "church" afloat. Theroux misses a golden opportunity to ask the owners of these businesses why they keep these people in their employment, when cutting off the head of the serpent would kill the beast. I doubt these people are seen as pillars of their community. Michael Moore wouldn't have let this slip by him.

theroux is a cool guy and this is a well-made docu, but it's not THAT insightful and i could've done with less of theroux's opinions

Louis Theroux could have convinced us that the Phelps family is insane and bigoted in just one minute. In sixty, he goes much, much deeper. This could be the most insightful documentary of this decade.

This is Louis' most shocking documentary, of the ones I've seen. All right-thinking people, Christians or otherwise, can see that Phelps and his cohorts are maniacs, but the power of ingrained convictions is clearly one of the strongest in the universe. While the various brainwashed people can be extremely depressing, the centerpiece of the docu is Louis' brief meeting with Phelps himself. Phelps is an incredibly abrasive and self-satisfied man, who seems to worship no one but himself.

"These fag enabling poopy pant feces eating fags" and today's sermon has been brought to you by a 5th grade kid free style name callin'

The u.s. did deserve 9/11 though.

Utterly fascinating.

A first amendment exercise at it's finest.

They are despicable idiots, but they are not very interesting subjects. It could have lasted 10 minutes and we would've gotten as accurate a picture of the most hated family in America.

So frustrating to watch, but Theroux gets the most that he can muster out of such a stubborn cult (yes, they are a cult). I guess it's fun to watch these fucking insane people go about their lives and "missions", but it's important to remember that they actually exist and that's scary.

Louis comes in pompous, biased, and entertaining but my balls really itched while watching this and long story short I get very turned on by many of the women of the Westboro Baptist Church now...so this was kind of a mixed bag for me.

Jeg har ondt af familien og hader dem

Interesting documentary.

How those poorly socialised girls flirted so awkwardly with Louis was heart-breaking.

The doc that got me hooked on one of the best doc makers ever.

As a companion piece to "Jesus Camp" this examines fanatism Americana style. Theroux does his best to reach his subjects, resulting in him making the exact same mistake as them, assuming that there is a right path from which they have strayed. He shows a human face behind the hatred, but it's all to no avail. These people are out of their minds and their believes cannot be reasoned with, only fought. As such the movie's democratic dispostion fails. But as a freak show it's very entertaining!

This is a true lesson of democracy or, more likely, how to stay away from extremist views. I am pretty sure the old cult leader had a very advanced Alzheimer's case; it was quite obvious that many followers were embracing these specific beliefs just as an outlet for their own hate. Being normal never felt better.

Hmm, this is considered a movie as well?

Legitimately moving and heartbreaking. To know that one of the girls, who features prominently here, would eventually defect enriches the whole experience. Thank you, Louis, for all of your excellent documentaries.

Assholes

Louis' innocuous charm brings somehow out the vulnerability of the younger members of this psychotic "church". Its equal parts insightful and tragic, certainly his best work.

Good

Theroux's look of befuddlement on that poster really captures his attitude throughout this thing. If you've ever heard of these folks, or dealt with any proselytizing fundamentalist, then his attempts to discuss (argue) with them are tiresome. It comes off as amateur hour, and when Fred Phelps dismisses Theroux, I don't really blame him. The American genius of Phelps is that he overpopulated his congregation with lawyers. More exploration of that would have been great, really.

A look into the life inside an open cult, this Theroux doc serves as a warning about where the extremes of religious following can - and all too often do - end up. Why the Westboro Baptist Church concentrate on the 'sins' they do is anybody's guess, but at its heart you get the feeling these folk just love abuse and courting controversy. Yes their views are offensive and I'd be upset if I was attending one of the funerals they picket, but overall (and thankfully) they're a pretty harmless bunch.

It has an aesthetic value.