What Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is all about without ruining the show
Looking for a weird modern day cult story? Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey tackles Warren Jeffs. He’s one of the more well-known cult leaders of the 21st Century. He’s an absolute creep and it’s so obvious from photographs.
Keep Sweet, which I’ll call it for simplicity at times, tells the story of how Jeffs rose to prominence in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It wasn’t just because he was the only person who could be bothered to say the whole name of the religion. He was born into it and is one of those self-proclaimed prophets.
As the case is with many villains in this situation, Jeffs takes advantage of his followers. More so than even his father who ran things before him, Jeffs takes things to a scary new level. He’s a pedophile with multiple wives of varying ages.
Did you know anything about the Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey story before watching?
I knew Warren Jeffs’ face well from other news shows or docuseries I have watched. Keep Sweet was the first long one I had seen. It might be the only one out there.
Something about Jeffs has always creeped me out. I don’t want to insult his long neck or beady eyes because there are so many things much worse about him. To answer the question: I knew the basics about his story.
Will Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey make people feel uncomfortable?
Surprisingly, this one wasn’t incredibly uncomfortable until closer to the end. The filmmakers wait for that. It might have been a smart thing because to know more about his actions early on might have made the viewers too sick, too early. There is a big uncomfortability factor here because of the pedophilia and a lot of marrying cousins.
What was good about Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey?
I think this documentary did an amazing job at covering everything there is to know about Jeffs and his followers. There is a beginning, middle, and end to the story. We see and hear from people who have been up close with him. Some despise the man. Others continue to remain loyal.
The documentary does share both sides. It is one-sided, though. How can it not be? Jeffs is a master manipulator. He remains in power to this day even with some obstacles in his way. I won’t spoil it if this story is brand new to you.
What could have made Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey better?
The pacing wasn’t the greatest. I never felt like I needed to see what happens next. Familiarity with the outcome could be one of the reasons. This also isn’t a “who dunnit” so perhaps we can point our fingers there.
Subject matter like this is always hard to make a documentary about. You need to be sensitive to the victims while also entertaining an audience. They did it well. They probably could have sped things up a little more.
Is Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey worth watching?
I would say it is. It’s important we’re aware that people like this are out there. Both followers of cults and their leaders are a danger to society. We tend to think people wouldn’t be foolish enough to fall for false prophets. What about those born into it who don’t know any better?
This is a good look into a world none of us want to enter and many would love to escape. If these are the kinds of worlds you don’t mind entering with your true crime documentaries, it is worth a watch.
Overall Score: 7 out of 10
Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey does its job. He shows up to work with a lunch pail and lets a whole new audience know what’s going on in this world.
Interested in watching Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey or learning more about the case? Below you will find affiliate links to the series as well as other information about this case. By using this links, I may receive a small commission of any purchase you may make.
Watch Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey on Netflix
Watch Warren Jeffs Prophet of Evil on Amazon
Watch Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs on Amazon (scripted)
If you have a series or film you want to know my opinion on, please leave a comment below. I may have already written about it. I can save you some time from watching a dud.
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