I Thought The Alabama Solution Was HBO’s Most Devastating Documentary Of 2025. I Was Wrong.

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I recently watched a documentary called The Alabama Solution and thought everyone should see it – I even predicted it would be the most impactful HBO documentary of the year. While I still feel that way, a new film has had an even bigger impact on me. It’s called Thoughts & Prayers, and it’s a powerful look at the multi-billion dollar industry built around training for active shooter situations in America, created by Zackary Canepari and Jessica Dimmock.

The new HBO Max documentary, Thoughts & Prayers, doesn’t focus on school shootings themselves, but on the booming industry that has developed in response to them. As a parent, it was deeply affecting to see how familiar my own children are with the security measures and products featured in the film.

Thoughts & Prayers Shook Me Like Nothing Else I’ve Watched This Year

Even before I started watching Thoughts & Prayers, I had a sense of what to expect. The phrase “Thoughts and Prayers” is used so often, and I was strangely curious about the documentary’s focus. It wasn’t a recounting of past school shootings – that would be too much for a 90-minute film. Instead, it explored the measures people are taking to try and minimize the impact of future mass shootings.

Honestly, watching coverage of companies selling bulletproof windows and shields – and seeing those familiar school safety drills – really shook me up. It instantly brought me back to back-to-school night at my kids’ schools, where I saw all that same equipment. I remembered the conversations we’ve had about safety, and it just reminded me, yet again, of the constant news alerts about another school shooting. It’s a deeply unsettling feeling as a parent and a movie lover – constantly thinking about these scenarios.

Multiple Scenes Broke My Heart

Watching Thoughts & Prayers was deeply upsetting. While it didn’t hit me as hard as the devastating documentary Dear Zachary, it came close. The entire 90-minute film was tough to get through, but certain scenes were absolutely heartbreaking, leaving me feeling completely shattered.

Around 30 minutes into the documentary, two students are interviewed before a school shooting drill. One of them admits she carries a small bag in her backpack filled with items she believes could help herself, her classmates, or their teacher if an attack happened. The other student, completely unaware, becomes visibly distressed, and I felt the same way.

Something the event organizer said at the end of the documentary has really stayed with me. He was happy with how the exercise went and the potentially life-saving lessons learned, but he also pointed out that it’s still upsetting we even have to run drills like this. It was a remarkably honest statement.

“Thoughts & Prayers” is a difficult but powerful documentary to watch – it’s a good idea to preview the trailer first – and it’s quickly become a standout film on HBO Max.

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2025-11-30 17:10