The Amish believe that the decision to devote one's life to the church is an irreversible lifetime commitment. They also hold that living an Amish lifestyle requires a very conservative and isolated existence void of "English" distractions such as electricity, cars, radio, television and many other modern conveniences. Before making such a commitment, and so that the decision is an informed one, Amish youngsters, upon turning 16, are allowed to explore the outside world (the devil's playground) unsupervised and ungoverned by the behavioral restrictions and community rules imposed by the religion. They may date, go out with friends, and while the church does not officially condone it, the teens often smoke, use drugs and drink alcohol.

The intent of rumspringa (running around) is to make certain that youth are giving their informed consent should they eventually decide to be baptized into the Amish faith. Stunningly, 90% of the teens return for a lifetime commitment to the church and community.

This period of rumspringa is the primary focus of Lucy Walker's disturbingly mesmerizing documentary entitled Devil's Playground. She follows several teens as they participate in rumspringa in LaGrange County, Indiana, including 18-year old Faron who has been in the devil's playground for two years, is jobless and hooked on Crank but still steadfastly states he's intent on returning to the church.

We also meet Gerald who admits he has no desire to return to the church yet is quickly growing tired of the party life; Velda, who did return only to leave again later (punishment for doing so is eternal family shun); and the undecided Joann who, realizing the finality of her choice, struggles with her decision.

That Walker was able to gain access to the Amish community is a testament to her hard work as a filmmaker. One of the restrictions of the Amish community is to discourage being photographed or filmed. Walker worked for several years, slowly gaining more and more access to the community in exchange for her trust and unobtrusiveness. The most alluring aspect of the documentary does not involve seeing the Amish on film or even hearing the teens talk about their lives. Instead, what intrigued me most of all was the troubling irony of watching these innocent youths in traditional Amish garb as they roller skated, bowled, played video games, smoked cigarettes, drank beer and cursed like longshoremen. Seeing ultra-conservative religious values as they mix with the perceived evils of modern American society is a bit disturbing, yet it has that unavoidable train-wreck allure that seems as intoxicating as it is mystifying.

Devil's Playground raises questions, inspires thought and demands introspection. Walker's success in remaining true to the genre allows for compelling viewing. Her refusal to take sides on the topics at hand displays the traits of a seasoned filmmaker, despite the fact that this is her first film. I did not come away from the film with a disrespect for the Amish community, nor was I embarrassed by my own. Walker  presents issues existing in both communities, giving equal measure to each. Although I personally feel it's not necessary to disassociate oneself completely from technological progress in order to worship, I do have a desire to understand why such a significant percentage of those who go through rumspringa return to their church.

(Released by Wellspring and not rated by the MPAA.)

Review also posted at www.franksreelreviews.com.