The Family is more likely to give you forehead wrinkles than answers.
Best categorized as an eyebrow raise told in five acts, Netflix's latest docuseries takes aim at the Christian political organization The Family — officially known as The Fellowship Foundation. Don't be surprised if you haven't heard of them by either name. According to numerous former members, that's how they like it.
Renowned for its connection to (and alleged influence over) powerful leaders across the globe, this secretive "informal association" has been the source of Washingtonian skepticism for many years. With allegations ranging from congressional scandal coverups to undue influence over U.S. presidents, The Family's role in D.C. seems to extend far beyond high-profile prayer groups.
And yet, what could be a scathing exposé of a theocracy in the making falls flat, following too many leads that go nowhere in an already complex narrative.
Based on executive producer Jeff Sharlet's books C Street: The Fundamentalist Threat to American Democracy andThe Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, the Netflix doc retells Sharlet's first-hand experience as a former Family member.
In 2002, Sharlet, then a young religion reporter, lived with the group's brotherhood in a fraternal Arlington mansion as part of a low-level investigation. As he would tell it, he was soon all-in on the group's supportive belief system.
Later, however, Sharlet was faced with a disturbing hierarchy of power, designed to use Jesus's leadership teachings as a model for global influence. At the center of it all was The Family's longtime head Douglas Coe — an unelected man who regularly appeared at the right hand of U.S. presidents prior to his death in 2017. In the series' surprisingly effective reenactments, Coe is played by Emmy Award-winning actor James Cromwell.
As it stands, that's a pretty great story.
But for The Family,that's just episode one. Over the series' next four hours, Sharlet's account appears alongside those of congressional representatives, political theorists, and others with intimate knowledge of the organization's internal affairs. Plenty of them side with Sharlet's skepticism, but just as many offer up support for the faith-based Family, arguing that these mysterious ministries are all part of God's will — and nothing nefarious is at play.
SEE ALSO: 'Dear White People' Season 3 tests your loyalty, but promises payoffThe narrative weaves together numerous accusations of apparent wrongdoing, but fails to tie them off with any one "Ah-ha!" moment. Arguably, The Family's most explosive assertion is that our current president is a result of their strategic support, at least in part. It's a bold claim, sure to inspire debate among viewers.
Intriguing but unsatisfying, Netflix's The Family fails to crack the code on this shadowy group of God-fearers. Whether that's because The Family is still too slippery to pin down or isn't really hiding anything remains unclear.
The Familyis now streaming on Netflix.
Topics Documentaries Netflix
(Editor: {typename type="name"/})
Best robot vacuum deal: Save $350 on the Eufy X10 Pro Omni
Microwave what?! Research suggests we've been drinking tea all wrong
Bill Gates challenges you to find lifesaving innovations hiding in this VR game
Why I won't date hot women anymore
Waymo stopped Los Angeles man from stealing a driverless car
Psychedelic shrimp with tons of sonic energy named after Pink Floyd
Furless Tickle Me Elmo sent from the fiery depths of hell is here to give you nightmares
New luxury internet cafes in China are ensuring gamers won't ever want to leave
AC Milan vs. Feyenoord 2025 livestream: Watch Champions League for free
The world looks stunning in new photographs released by NASA
Notre Dame vs. Georgia football livestreams: kickoff time, streaming deals, and more
We could learn a lot about 'The Last Jedi' and new Han Solo movie this weekend
接受PR>=1、BR>=1,流量相当,内容相关类链接。