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Dhamma Brothers, The

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 9 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 0 votes
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Documentary
Written by:
Andrew Kukura
Jenny Phillips
Anne Marie Stein
Directed by:
Andrew Kukura
Jenny Phillips
Anne Marie Stein
Release Date:
Theatrical: April 11, 2008
Running Time: 76 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: Not Rated
East meets West in the Deep South. An overcrowded maximum-security prison--the end of the line in Alabama's correctional system--is forever changed by the influence of an ancient meditation program. Behind high-security towers and a double row of barbed wire and electrical fence dwells a host of convicts who will never see the light of day. But for some of these men, a spark is ignited when it becomes the first maximum-security prison in North America to hold an extended Vipassana retreat, an emotionally and physically demanding course of silent meditation lasting 10 days. In the words of Sister Helen Prejean (<a href="/video/titles/deadmanwalking">Dead Man Walking</a>), this film, with the power to dismantle stereotypes about men behind prison bars, "gives you hope for the human race." (Balcony Releasing)
Also On The Web: View The Trailer Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
TV Guide Ken Fox
It's a truly inspirational piece of documentary filmmaking bolstered by a fine soundtrack featuring the music of Low, New Order and Sigur Ros.
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian Marc Mohan
It's not necessary to buy into the efficacy of a particular brand of meditative practice to appreciate that some quiet time with their brains could have a salutary effect on men with troubled pasts, but the thoughtfulness and humanity of these inmates is a potent reminder that there's almost no such thing as a lost cause.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis
A thinking-head documentary about finding answers within for those who can’t get out.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Gary Goldstein
The contradiction between the peaceful tenets of this Eastern protocol versus the violent world of the prisoners, many of whom are convicted killers, fuels the film with both fierce irony and dark hope.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Ty Burr
Much of the running time is devoted to those whose bliss is genuine, complicated, and hard-won, and we're left to wonder what the US prison system would look like if there were a million of these men instead of a handful.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer Bill White
The film does a poor job of explaining the discipline or how it works, and naively takes the convicts' testimonials at face value.
Read Full Review >Variety Ronnie Scheib
Subject matter definitely trumps stylistic nuance in this solid journeyman effort.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Julia Wallace
There's no doubt that the Brothers are a compelling bunch, but their story isn't well served here.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 0.0 (out of 10) based on 0 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
