One morning in the mountains, a young woman named Martha flees from a cult that has damaged her emotional being over the course of time. Though urged to return by a fellow member, she refuses the offer and calls her sister for help, who picks her up and agrees to take care of her, at least while trying to figure out the vague details of Martha's disappearance for the last two years, and deal with what remains of her sanity (if any does at all).
Well the latest batch of Redbox reviews has concluded and I saved the best, and possibly only good one, for last. Hell, all I had to do was suffer through two bad handycam films and a delayed Eddie Murphy comedy in order to get my reward. Martha Marcy May Marlene, though certainly a mouthful of a movie, is a rather good indie drama with great performances abound. Elizabeth Olsen plays the title character, though that mercifully isn't her full name, but rather a collection of aliases she takes throughout the film's running time. I've heard some folks call her the lone wolf in the Olsen family, and it isn't hard to see why. The lady can act, conveying a great deal of emotions and making you believe that she truly has been broken by what this cult has put her through, as she can't seem to even readjust to some of the most basic rules of life. We're dealt a good number of flashbacks dealing with everything from Martha's first days in the cult (which is lead by the always awesome and rather gangly-looking John Hawkes), to what finally may have pushed her over the edge and led to her self-imposed exile. She also doesn't look like a mogwai, which is helpful, but it isn't a huge issue.
The film is a challenge at times to get through, and perhaps that is an intentional parallel to what Martha's sister and her husband are feeling with her sudden insertion into their lives. Sarah Paulson plays Martha's sister Lucy, and you could argue that the film is just as much about her than it is her younger sibling. It is rather surprising to see her tolerance for everything going on around her, even if it does involve family. The audience might get annoyed with some of the remarkable amount of patience from Lucy, but anyone who has ever witnessed behavior akin to post-cult inclusion (even on television or in print) will be more understanding.
All of that being said, I think some will be turned off by a handful of the ambiguous moments in the film. The last twenty minutes of the film, despite containing some of the best scenes in it's one hundred minute running time (which is criminally short for a story like this), do feel like they're leading up to something that never quite comes to be. There were hints of horror or suspenseful drama poking through, but it was almost like they were saving it for another segment that never comes to be. It is a minor complaint, sure, but a complaint nonetheless.
Regardless, Martha Marcy May Marlene is a very good film filled with great performances, though it JUST stops itself short from becoming a great film. If this one pops up on Netflix or television within the near future, I urge you to check it out. I'm definitely interested in the future projects of Ms. Olsen now, and I may even have to give the Silent House remake a shot now that it was just released to home video as well.
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