Review of Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) by Gareth R — 25 Jul 2012

Ever heard of Mary-Kate and Ashley, the Olsen twins? Well, it turns out they have a younger sister called Elizabeth and she is something of a revelation. Olsen displays natural poise, bravely handling very dark subject matter with a presence and maturity that defies her young career.

The film itself is a quietly sinister tale of a young woman who after having escaped a manipulative and abusive cult, struggles to reconnect with her old life. It's a film of whispered menace that grabs a hold from early on and doesn't relinquish it's grip.

John Hawkes, on excellent form as the cult's leader, is a gently coaxing monster, calmly preaching his warped ideology to his community of lost,impressionable young women in exchange for a cleansed life of servitude and isolation from a modern way of life.

It's a highly impressive debut for writer/director Sean Durkin who skillfully captures the drama and the horror within it, while never allowing his film to become exploitative. Durkin does a good job of clearly accentuating the warring divide between Martha's two lives.

The homely yet disciplined labour camp lifestyle of the cult vs the indulgent and comfortable but soulless surroundings of home feels like an emotional tug-of-war that sways one side to the other testing Martha's sanity.

This is surely the signpost of an A-list career ahead for Olsen, who in one breakout performance, like Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive, must have captured the attention of the Hollywood high and mighty.

4/5.