Review of Another Earth (2011) by P M — 04 Nov 2012

Another Earth takes has an interesting sci-fi-ish concept, but while the concept gives the rest of the film some gravitas and the opportunity for some philosophical navel contemplation, the actual concept is a bit weak and definitely a distraction.

I believe it won't be giving too much away in informing you that the sci-fi aspect is in the title. Yes, suddenly another, duplicate earth appears; called earth II (and in a nice touch, one pundit questions whether the denizens of Earth II think of themselves as Earth, and that WE are the copy). There is a very weak explanation as to how and why, and I suppose one could swallow the concept - but for me it kept getting in the way of the very personal story that rests at the heart of the film. For example, there's a scene in which a family sits glued to the TV, watching a SETI scientist sitting at a console next to her laptop computer, trying to "get in touch" with the new planet. OK, if this was 1965 I'd buy it - but in 2011 - c'mon!

As I mentioned, there is a very personal story here, involving a young woman who makes a critical mistake, and how that one day in her life affects not only the rest of her life, but the lives of others. Again, there is a bit of deus ex machine towards the end of the film that gives rise to the possibility that all moments are just reflections (our lives included), and somehow we might erase or get past those awful moments. This makes a certain degree of sense to the characters involved, but ends up being a kind of metaphysical hocus pocus, especially when it is revealed that this "other" earth is indeed a copy of our own - and peopled with other versions of ourselves. Another flaw in the script comes when the film's heroine (a steady performance by co-writer Brit Marling) tells the shattered widower that due to a "break" in the continuity brought about by the recognition of the duplicate earth, he could be re-united with his dead wife and child. One problem - that family unit would remain intact - in other words the widower would have to deal with himself as a rival.

Aside from these missteps, this indie film has some very nice bits of cinematography and the core story of both the heroine and the widower slowly re-finding their humanity works well, though I'm not sure if there's enough meat there for a feature length film; meaning that the metaphysical, sci-fi angle is necessary even if it detracts.