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Movie Review: “Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs” Might be the Most Disturbing Lifetime Film Yet

Parents I seriously advise you to make sure the kiddos are in bed before watching this one.

Get ready to see Tony Goldwyn (Scandal) like you’ve never seen him before.  Goldwyn stars as Warren Jeffs, the infamous Polygamist cult leader who spent more than a year on the FBI’s “10 Most Wanted List” for his unlawful flight on charges related to his arrangement of illegal marriages involving underage girls.

After his father (Martin Landau) passes away leaving behind 56 wives, Warren (Goldwyn) takes on his leadership role as the prophet for Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Basically, the community follows “God’s Law” and believes that women must be obedient wives.  The prophet is the only one who can speak to God and relays the message to the citizens.   A man can have numerous wives and the women have no say in the matter, because apparently God chooses who they are given away to.  If this doesn’t sound gross enough, Jeffs was arranging marriages to girls as young as 12 years-old!

The film itself is grotesque and continuously uncomfortable. Lifetime allows the audience to see some in-depth sex scenes that I wish I hadn’t.  The words spoken to these young girls by Jeffs while having intercourse will haunt me for years to come.  However, the story of Warren Jeffs was conveyed so well that it is worth the watch.

Besides a few small characters, all the leads did a fantastic job in the film.  Goldwyn morphs into his sickening character and Joey King (Fargo) continues her streak as a star on the rise.  This girl is incredible in any role she plays.

I can handle most Lifetime dramas, but Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs was tough to sit through.

Rating: 3/5

Premiering Saturday, June 28, at 8pm ET/PT.  Immediately following the movie’s world premiere, Lifetime will air the hour-long documentary Beyond the Headlines: Warren Jeffs, at 10pm ET/PT.