Martha Marcy May Marlene Review
Posted by Chad Webb on 11.08.2011
The damage a man can do....
Elizabeth Olsen: Martha
John Hawkes: Patrick
Sarah Paulson: Lucy
Hugh Dancy: Ted
Brady Corbet: Watts
Louisa Krouse: Zoe
Written and Directed By: Sean Durkin
Release Date: October 7, 2011
Running Time: 101 minutes
Rated R for disturbing violent and sexual content, nudity and language
In the opening shots of Sean Durkin's fascinating new film Martha Marcy May Marlene, we meet the title character, who has decided to flee the cult she joined in the Catskill Mountains of New York. She makes it to a diner, where one of the boys (Brady Corbet) from the agricultural residence they lived on finds her and asks her to return. She is visibly shaken, but the viewer is not sure why just yet. She phones the only family she knows, her sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) and her husband Ted (Hugh Dancy), for help. From them she re-enters "civilized" society and over the course of two hours, a series of transitions from her life with the cult and her current living situation with her sister gradually unveil how psychologically scarred this young girl has become. After those initial sequences; the mad dash through the woods, the exchange at the restaurant, we are hooked on this character.
Although the film is gripping, its title is stupendously irritating. Thankfully the names do mean something, even if you find yourself thinking too hard of what they are and in which order. "Martha" is her birth name, the one her sister uses in conversation. "Marcy May" is a name given to her by the cult leader and spiritual father Patrick (John Hawkes). "Marlene" is only used once, as an alias upon answering the phone at the communal farm. One of the most intriguing aspects of Durkin's picture, and the way he assembles all the pieces of this girl's puzzle of a existence, is deciphering each identity and determining which one dominates. Because she came from a broken household, the cult family offers her a sense of familial belonging, purpose, and acceptance. She makes friends with one of the members, Zoe, and Patrick is definitely drawn to her. Despite the initiation into this close-knit group being jarring, she falls into a groove there. Patrick has sexual intercourse with each new female member, and she is told this is a "gift." Following some truly shocking and violent incidents, she escapes, but her paranoia and altered values amongst her sister's husband and friends becomes a problem that snowballs.
The story structure and order is non-linear, and Durkin employs many transitional moments that are seamless from the present to the past. Martha's appearance does not look all that much different from when she is on the farm to the portions with her sister, so sometimes it takes a few seconds for the audience to realize where they are. At first, these segues exhibit a dreamlike effect and are quite beautiful, but once they keep happening, it becomes a bit tiresome, as if it were a technique Durkin loved and couldn't help but reiterate at every turn. Still, it was refreshing that Martha's overall look was not drastically changed between the two time periods. Her hairstyle remains the same, and the clothing she wears is only slightly different. In other words, subtlety means a lot to Durkin, and by extension to Elizabeth Olsen's portrayal.
Buzz surrounding festival darlings begin well before all the mainstream critics have the opportunity to heap praise, but I'll surely jump on the bandwagon as far as Elizabeth Olsen is concerned. Her performance is wondrous, a scene-stealing immersion into the body of a hypnotizing character. Martha's trajectory is unique, and she would make a superb study if one were to examine her with more thoroughness. Olsen's approach is restrained with a hint of that time-bomb feeling underneath the surface. The holding back strengthens Olsen as actor, and results in the avoidance of excessive hysterics from Martha's torment. There is significant weight put on her actions above melodramatic rantings. Her full committment to the role is evident in her eyes as she speaks to any member of the farm following her escape, or the touching scene in front of the mirror when her sister applies make-up. The worn face and deep gaze speak volumes for the character's journey.
The relaxing fact is how natural Olsen is in front of the camera, appearing as an established veteran instead of an newcomer. It doesn't hurt that she has Oscar nominee John Hawkes by her side, once again supporting a fantastic new talent as a backwoods weirdo. As Patrick, Hawkes is equal amounts chilling and welcoming. He can be deceitfully manipulative and blatantly demanding. This is a man who has laid out a workable plan to control these people and it has proved effective. Whether or not we agree with his teachings is beside the point. We can understand and observe what makes Patrick so compelling and persuasive to the loyal followers. The creepy, effortless nature with which he justifies extreme actions can be seen in the sequence where he is demonstrating gun use to Martha. Sarah Paulson and Hugh Dancy fill relatively simple roles with sophistication as Martha's frustrated sister Lucy and her husband Ted.
Sean Durkin deftly chooses the proper mood for Martha Marcy May Marlene, conveying an intimacy between his characters which amplifies the unsettling atmosphere. This is an intense, occasionally shocking tale, but is also deliberately paced to maintain the right attitude throughout. He is certainly a skilled filmmaker, but also a fine writer as the dialogue is at times frighteningly authentic. We can't help but think that this is how an enigmatic communal farm leader, or an exasperated sister, would act under similar circumstances. Cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes captures the splendor and danger of the landscapes in an assured, wholesome manner. What supplements our enthrallment with the whole package is the contemplative presentation. Martha and Patrick are hypnotizing because Durkin allows us to ponder their motivations and desires, opting not to divulge every detail of the central dilemma. This may lead some to dislike the conclusion, but I thought it was wholly appropriate.
Of course it should be noted that while I used the word cult many times, that term is never uttered in the movie itself, which only makes Patrick and his methods increasingly terrifying. He might have come across as silly otherwise. We are so invested in Martha's plight that we ask ourselves what chances she has of recuperating in such a blase existence as the one Lucy and Ted lead daily. Still, it's her only option, and this is part of the quandary of Martha Marcy May Marlene. There are no easy solutions. Life cannot be cleaned up nice and tidy with a storybook ending. Certain actions mean consequences, and those experiences are not eradicated with ease.
Most critics have mentioned Winter's Bone as a title of comparison to Martha Marcy May Marlene for obvious reasons, but I would like to cite Roman Polanski's brilliant psycholigical thriller Repulsion as a chief influence as well. Both films are carried by a powerful female lead and both rely on a sly forcefulness and the capabilities of suggestion in showcasing a young woman who is perhaps permanently damaged. Durkin's debut also contains echoes of the Jonestown massacre and the Manson family in that we recall real-life tragedies of the same vein, but not as if any of those were trying to be recreated on screen. Those memories only heighten the realism of the horror. But would Martha Marcy May Marlene have been any less satisfying had the events unfolded in chronological order? I think it could have helped actually. The transitions seem to be tools for concealing a weakness of some sort. The truth is that this is an average film with great acting, but well worth seeing. Durking leaves room for improvement.
The 411: I heard that Elizabeth Olsen was not doing many Q&A's for Martha Marcy May Marlene, probably because people would ask questions about her sisters. That is understandable if it's true, but if she waits a few months, I can see people asking her sisters about her instead. That's how good Olsen is in Sean Durkin's fulfilling psychological drama horror thriller. This effort incorporates multiple genres, but carries an identity all its own. Durkin has a lot of talent, but he is not flawless. The acting might get a 10 out of 10, but the story structure is a clear wound. Nevertheless, this film has a lot of hype surrounding it, and you will hear about it again once the Oscar nominations are announced. Do yourself a favor and seek it out now while you still can.
