A novel drug rehabilitation program devolves from a well-intentioned social experiment into a dangerous cult in this four-part documentary. The group's charismatic leader was able to exert increasing control until the cult members abdicated independent thought and free will. It's nothing that many other cult documentaries haven't already covered but it's disturbing nonetheless. Unfortunately the documentary's pace is plodding, the subject-matter is often repetitive, the series hammers every point ad nauseum and it takes a very long time to get anywhere. Pared down to 2 hours or so this could've been harrowing; but at a tedious and self-indulgent 4+ hours it loses a lot of its potential impact.
Review of The Synanon Fix
