Review of The East (2013) by Hoops2448 — 10 Sep 2013
Recently co-writer and lead actress Brit Marling starred in a similarly themed film, Sound of My Voice,a film also about a mysterious organization but these two films couldn't be more different with The East being a logical and compelling piece of cinema.
When Jane (Brit Marling) is sent in undercover to assess a fundamentalist group called The East, a group led by Benji (Alexander Skarsgard) and Izzy (Ellen Page) she starts to understand their cause as the company she works for begins to twist the truth until she doesn't know who to trust.
The only flaw with The East is it really isn't as clever as it thinks it is, it uses cliched twists to convey key plot points and lacks the subtlety and strength of its conviction to pull its twists off.
The end is almost ruined by a twist so half arsed it really deserves mocking but by doing so I may ruin it for the few who might not catch it. The filming is splendid with every shot feeling grey as the film blurs the lines between black and white as Jane loses herself in a web of deceit, a web so complex that be the end I had forgotten her real name.
Filled with some excellent performances, Marling proves her worth as an actor after disappointing turns in her own projects such as Another Earth and the previously mentioned Sound of My Voice. Skarsgard is the best of the bunch as he is completely fearless in his depiction of this utterly lost soul.
The film begs the viewer to pick a side before the end but the finale makes that strive for agreement pointless as the film ends on its own terms. Most of the political ideas on display are half baked at best and it really shows with the conclusion feeling like a safe way to bring this story to a close, although I have to say I did get a little bit of satisfaction with the neat and tidy nature of the ending, something this story really doesn't deserve.
While interesting and well performed it finds itself let down by a lack of thought going into what the writers really wanted to say.
This review of The East (2013) was written by Hoops2448 on 10 Sep 2013.
The East has generally received positive reviews.
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