Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Devil's Playground

  • 20022002
  • 1h 17m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
Devil's Playground (2002)
  • Documentary
Amish teenagers experience and embrace the modern world as a rite-of-passage before deciding which life they will choose.Amish teenagers experience and embrace the modern world as a rite-of-passage before deciding which life they will choose.Amish teenagers experience and embrace the modern world as a rite-of-passage before deciding which life they will choose.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Lucy Walker
  • Stars
    • Velda Bontrager
    • Mark Bontrager
    • Dewayne Chupp
Top credits
  • Director
    • Lucy Walker
  • Stars
    • Velda Bontrager
    • Mark Bontrager
    • Dewayne Chupp
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 27User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 4 nominations

    Photos

    Devil's Playground (2002)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Velda Bontrager
    • Self
    Mark Bontrager
    • Self
    Dewayne Chupp
    • Self
    Dylan Cole
    • Self
    Matt Eash
    • Self
    Sally Fisher
    • Self
    Marty Fry
    • Self
    John Groff
    • Self
    • (as John)
    Lisa Groff
    • Self
    Andy Herschberger
    • Self
    Joann Hochstetler
    • Self
    Jesse Kaufman
    • Self
    Carol Lambright
    • Self
    Dale Lambright
    • Self
    Ervin Lambright
    • Self
    Velda Lehman
    • Self
    Alvin Miller
    • Self
    Emma Miller
    • Self
    • Director
      • Lucy Walker
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Dark Days
    7.7
    Dark Days
    I Think We're Alone Now
    6.8
    I Think We're Alone Now
    The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia
    7.0
    The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia
    Devil's Playground
    5.1
    Devil's Playground
    Children Underground
    8.2
    Children Underground
    Meth Storm
    6.6
    Meth Storm
    Winnebago Man
    7.2
    Winnebago Man
    The Devil's Playground
    6.8
    The Devil's Playground
    The Devils Playground
    The Devils Playground
    Jesus Camp
    7.4
    Jesus Camp
    Burden of Dreams
    7.9
    Burden of Dreams
    Devils Playground
    Devils Playground

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Appeared on Entertainment Weekly's list of The 50 Best Movies You've Never Seen in the Jul 16, 2012 issue.
    • Alternate versions
      The 77-minute cut was edited down by the filmmakers to a 50 minute version, for the British Channel 4 TV station.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 2003 IFP Independent Spirit Awards (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      CD 1- Track 1
      Written and Produced by Aphex Twin (as Richard D. James)

      Performed by Aphex Twin

      From the Album "Selected Ambient Works, Volume #2"

      Published by Chrysalis Songs (BMI)

      Courtesy of Warp Records Limited and Sire Records, by arrangement with Warner Special Products

    User reviews27

    Review
    Top review
    entertaining, but misses the mark
    this film is based around a fascinating subject; the amish custom of allowing every boy or girl who turns sixteen to do anything he or she pleases, no holds barred. apparently, the amish believe it is wrong to baptise infants, and that they're supposed to choose the amish way as free-thinking adults.

    the opening titles explaining this raised my expectations, as did the movie poster: an image of a girl in an amish bonnet, sitting in the back seat of a car, lighting a cigarette. it felt like a stolen moment; like an exciting departure from everything she's been taught. what would teens like this do, give free rein for the first time in their lives? what would it feel like to taste the things that were always off limits?

    well according to this movie, amish teenagers are just as debauched as anyone in western society; they have no qualms about doing anything at all; nothing seems exciting or new to them. they're just relieved that their nuisance parents are out of the way so that they can finally get on with their partying, driving and drugging.

    and how do the parents feel about allowing their children to turn their backs on every value they ever taught them? that would be a challenging concept to any parent, let alone one in a supposedly closed, puritanical society. well, we'll never know, as the amish refuse to be filmed or photographed.

    stripped of all the interesting questions, this remains a slick docu-soap in the mtv "real world" tradition, with no insights to offer; just a peek into the lives of a few amish teens, who may or may not be examples of anything larger than themselves.
    helpful•4
    6
    • YanivEidelstein
    • Jul 23, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 11, 2002 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Игровая площадка Дьявола
    • Filming locations
      • Indiana, USA
    • Production companies
      • Stick Figure Productions
      • WinStar Cinema
      • Cinemax Reel Life
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 17 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Devil's Playground (2002)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Devil's Playground (2002) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    Editors' Picks: What to Watch Now on Netflix
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Hollywood Romances: Our Favorite Couples
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.