Stolen Youth (2023) Ep 2: Truth Wins [Hulu review]

Truth Wins continues with the story of Lawrence Grecco/Ray. That’s right, all would be cult leaders do work under assumed names. So, he’s not ex-CIA, not going by his real name all the time and he’s definitely not a Sarah Lawrence student. What led Larry to hanging out with upper class NYC kids in Manhattan at the start of the Obama era?

What does Truth Wins add to Stolen Youth?

As the victims begin expanding upon their experiences, the crimes become evident. Larry Ray or whatever he calls himself, had no interest in helping these kids. He was a career criminal that hopped around until he found something that could work. Preying on college kids and getting them to do his dirty work. Hell, he was telling these kids that he was a CIA agent in charge of PsyOps.

Watching him take contemporary News retellings of Bush era interrogation tactics, he broke these kids simply to break them. From the sleep deprivation to the questioning and to the force allegiance, the entire event serves as this dark final chapter in control tactics that being with the War on Terror.

While Larry Ray is behind bars for 60 years, what happens now?

Larry Ray will probably die in prison. Stolen Youth goes out of its way to show you his crimes and why he deserves to rot, but what will become of the victims? This second episode sets up the idea that not everyone had a bad time under Larry. While that’s great and all, it shows that victimhood doesn’t impact everyone equally.

As Truth Wins concludes, we’re left with a sense of learning that the victims might not be able to go back to normal.

Truth Wins is now streaming as part of Stolen Youth on Hulu