The Vow (2020)

HBO | Release Date: August 23, 2020

5.6	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Ratings

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SirensOfTitanNov 26, 2022

Both seasons of this documentary series spread a dearth of material over many hours, making it feel hollow. In fact, I find it quite puzzling how little material is actually covered, the showrunners seem to massively understate the crimesBoth seasons of this documentary series spread a dearth of material over many hours, making it feel hollow. In fact, I find it quite puzzling how little material is actually covered, the showrunners seem to massively understate the crimes perpetrated by Raniere, Salzman, and other co-conspirators.… Expand

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CinemacriterionMar 5, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Excellent series by Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer, horrific subject matter. Gripping and compelling.… Expand

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Nyrfan444Dec 8, 2020

At LEAST twice as long as it needed to be. A bit miffed I invested 9 hours of my life on this and didn’t even get a reasonable conclusion.

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kirkenderOct 9, 2020

I enjoyed The Vow until I read more about NXIVM, Keith Raniere and watched the Starz documentary Seduced. The Vow is a timid showing; it defends the high level actors in the cult who are just as responsible as Raniere. And surprise, the VowI enjoyed The Vow until I read more about NXIVM, Keith Raniere and watched the Starz documentary Seduced. The Vow is a timid showing; it defends the high level actors in the cult who are just as responsible as Raniere. And surprise, the Vow was made in part by those high level actors. They are victims too, but they need to be held accountable for the damage they caused as well, not get a free pass because they made a sappy docuseries about it.… Expand

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davidwill4realOct 18, 2020

The work of presenting each character with their own narrative and thereby providing the cult leader with all the elements necessary for their description is a brilliant thing done by the directors.

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MB_Oct 18, 2020

Lamentable. That's the word that comes to mind, no only is the whole series terrible but it also left me feeling bad, not for all the people who wasted their lives on yet another obvious scam but selfishly for myself in wasting so much timeLamentable. That's the word that comes to mind, no only is the whole series terrible but it also left me feeling bad, not for all the people who wasted their lives on yet another obvious scam but selfishly for myself in wasting so much time expecting something, anything of excitement to happen.

I dare say some might suggest that the non-linear editing that is the emperors clothes of the matter is clever but it is not. It's just confusing the audience to hide the lack of content. Honestly buying into the idea that the makers of this show are geniuses by making the story confusing is literally another example of a cultish belief. If you are persuaded by the shoddy editing (editors if you are going to add a VHS effect to a clip, add the effect separately to each clip not across the whole sequence otherwise the distortion effect carry over from one clip to the next rather than restarting the effect for each one) you are buying into the scam. There is hardly any story here, holey moses it can be summed up in a sentence: Gullible attention seekers are fooled by a charlatan who he takes advantage of the pretty ones for sex.

There might be vast amounts of footage for them to work with but the amount of it that is completely without merit is amazing. This is the best stuff they had?! The makers utterly failed to make anyone, in any single way, redeeming. They are either the scammers or ex-scammers, maybe Catherine comes across with the most merit but with her you have a mother who apparently hasn't warned her child about the monsters of the world, did she skip the big bad wolf bedtime stories cause they were too scary? Ok I'm being too mean to her, the series had left me in a bad mood, I apologize.

In short they are trying hard to make this into an event documentary stretching it out for weeks when 90 minutes max would have covered everything, especially as (spoilers) the criminals of the piece still have yet to be sentenced. The story isn't even finished, but I guess that means they can draw out a few more hours of hand wringing with a second series of this mind numbing twaddle.… Expand

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UncleWillardSep 6, 2020

Why is it always actors who join these cults? Do they need that much attention? Anyway, yada yada, of course it's a cult. The jargon alone in the first episode is a dead giveaway. It's also a pyramid scheme. I'm not saying the master/slaveWhy is it always actors who join these cults? Do they need that much attention? Anyway, yada yada, of course it's a cult. The jargon alone in the first episode is a dead giveaway. It's also a pyramid scheme. I'm not saying the master/slave **** didn't happen, but I really saw how contrived even the statements in the doc are. This is scripted reality. I have to wonder whether these folks (apparently mostly out of work actors) arent scamming us a little with this pseudo-doc. If they are, well-done!… Expand

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kubo9Aug 25, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Convicted conman Keith Raniere and accomplices use "scientology + Ayn Rand"-esque ideas + large group awareness training + neurolinguistic programming + Heiresses + Dalai Lama + MLM + Smallville actresses + failed investment schemes and top it off with a lifetime vow to a slave/master sex cult. Episode 1 sets up the slow burn.… Expand

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