Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence explained
Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence is an American true crime documentary television miniseries, directed by Zachary Heinzerling, revolving around Larry Ray and the cult at Sarah Lawrence College. It premiered on February 9, 2023, on Hulu.[1]
Premise
The docuseries explores Larry Ray and his cult at Sarah Lawrence College. It follows the stories of the victims and some of their family members and friends.
Cast
- Larry Ray - Cult leader who lived on Sarah Lawrence College's campus with his daughter Talia in 2008 without the college's knowledge or permission. According to New York Magazine, Larry was diagnosed with histrionic and narcissistic personality disorders.[2] In 2003, he was sentenced to five years probation with securities fraud. In January 2023, he was sentenced to 60 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy, violent crime in aid of racketeering, extortion, sex trafficking, forced labor, tax evasion, and money laundering offenses.
- Talia Ray - Larry's daughter and a student at Sarah Lawrence College.
- Santos - Talia's former boyfriend and Larry's roommate.
- Felicia - Santos' oldest sister.
- Isabella Pollok - Talia's roommate and best friend. She moved in with Larry in 2009 in NYC. She lived with him and Felicia until his arrest a decade later.
- Dan Levin - Moved in with Larry in 2009 and dated Isabella. He left the cult in 2013.
- Claudia - A former victim of Larry and friend of some of the other victims. She engaged in prostitution and paid a million dollars to Larry. Larry convinced her that she poisoned her roommates and spread rumors about him.
- Yalitza - Santos and Felicia's sister. Victim of Larry.
- Raven - Friend of some of the victims who was never a part of the cult. She told some of the victims that they were in a cult.
Production
In November 2022, it was announced Zachary Heinzerling had directed a documentary series revolving around Larry Ray, with Story Syndicate producing and Hulu distributing.[3]
Reception
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.60/10, based on 13 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Equal parts baffling and harrowing, Stolen Youth treats its subjects with tasteful finesse while shedding startling insight on cult mentality."[4] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 83 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[5]
Notes and References
- Web site: Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult Survivors Relive Horrors in Hulu Docuseries 'Stolen Youth' — Watch Trailer. IndieWire. Samantha. Beregson. December 13, 2022. January 30, 2023.
- Web site: Marcus . Ezra . Walsh . James D. . The Sarah Lawrence Sex-Cult Trial: All Your Questions, Answered . New York Magazine . Vox Media . 30 April 2024.
- Web site: Hulu Sets Sarah Lawrence Sex Cult Docuseries as 'God Forbid' Becomes Its Most-Watched Doc Film Ever (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. Jennifer. Mass. November 28, 2022. January 30, 2023.
- Web site: Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence. Rotten Tomatoes. July 2, 2023.
- Web site: Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence. Metacritic. July 2, 2023.
