Amish: A Secret Life
Miriam and Dave Lapp are a charming young couple with a brood of adorable children. Dave works in and part owns a construction company. They are also members of the 'Old Order' Amish community in Pennsylvania,whose church forbids all technology - though Dave gets lifts to work in a car and the couple,by allowing themselves to be filmed,risk the wrath of church elders. Having outlined their traditional life-style to camera Miriam persuades several friends to be happily filmed and it becomes clear that the Lapps and other,younger Amish,believe that,having been rebaptized to allow a more open evangelical approach - risking excommunication thereby - they feel the need for a change in the community. The film ends as the family consolidates its dream to own their own farm.
Insights
Plot Summary
This documentary offers an intimate look into the lives of Amish people who have chosen to leave their traditional communities. It explores the challenges and decisions faced by those who decide to venture into the modern world, often for the first time. The film delves into their struggles with assimilation, maintaining their faith, and finding a new sense of identity outside the strictures of Amish culture.
Critical Reception
As an anonymous documentary, 'Amish: A Secret Life' did not receive widespread critical reviews in the traditional sense. Its impact was more on the niche audiences interested in cultural documentaries and the Amish way of life. The film was noted for its attempt to portray a sensitive subject with a degree of authenticity, though the lack of credited filmmakers limited broader critical discourse.
What Reviewers Say
- Offers a rare, albeit anonymous, glimpse into the lives of former Amish individuals.
- The film attempts to navigate the complex transition from a closed community to the outside world.
- Appreciated for its subject matter by those interested in cultural anthropology and sociology.
Google audience: Due to the nature of its release and anonymous production, specific Google user reviews are not readily available or aggregated for this documentary.
Fun Fact
The documentary's anonymity was a deliberate choice, reportedly made to protect the identities of the individuals featured and to avoid potential repercussions from their former Amish communities.
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