Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult.

Director:

Sean Durkin

Writer:

Sean Durkin

Stars:

Elizabeth Olsen, Christopher Abbott, John Hawkes

16 wins & 41 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elizabeth Olsen	...	Martha
Christopher Abbott	...	Max
Brady Corbet	...	Watts
Hugh Dancy	...	Ted
Maria Dizzia	...	Katie
Julia Garner	...	Sarah
John Hawkes	...	Patrick
Louisa Krause	...	Zoe
Sarah Paulson	...	Lucy
Adam David Thompson	...	Bartender (as Adam Thompson)
Allen McCullough	...	Man in Home #2
Lauren Molina	...	Cult Member
Louisa Braden Johnson	...	Cult Member
Tobias Segal	...	Cult Member
Gregg Burton	...	Man in Home #1

Storyline

Martha has run away from an abusive hippie-like cult where she was living as Marcy May for two years. She turns to her sister and brother-in-law who take her in and want to help her. The problem is Martha is having a hard time separating dreams from reality and when haunting memories of her past keep resurfacing, she may need more help than anyone is able to give her.

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Plot Keywords:

cult | memory | brother in law | paranoia | catskills | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing violent and sexual content, nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Spain]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 2011 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

La fuga di Martha

Filming Locations:

Tennanah Lake, Roscoe, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$137,651 (USA) (21 October 2011)

Gross:

$2,981,638 (USA) (3 February 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Cunningham & Maybach Films, Maybach Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sean Durkin was looking for an unknown actress to play the role of Martha, which was the only role auditions were held for. Elizabeth Olsen auditioned twice for the role of Martha, and had to begin filming only two weeks after winning the part.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Watts: [as Martha runs away] Marcy! Marcy May! Where ya goin'?

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Connections

References 3 Women (1977)

User Reviews

More Than Meets the Eye

Sean Durkin's first feature is quite the trip. Durkin's sensibility as a director shines with this film, and shows undeniable promise. The really crazy thing about this film is that it's quietness is only juxtaposed by the really messed up things that are happening in the plot. An intriguing analytical mess of reality, memory, and fantasy, Martha Marcy May Marlene is about a paranoia, an extreme desire to escape the past, though it always comes back to haunt you. It is the isolation and the trouble that comes with that, that Martha really suffers from-- the cult has a certain way of thinking and the film geniously explores the psychological persuasion into a way of thinking…the way that the cult tries to make their ethics and morality universal is a terrifying, and intriguing thing. Elizabeth Olsen does a helluva job as Martha, giving her dewey eyed complexity, both bewilderment, shock, disgust, and intrigue. She gives quiet moments great momentum, and is an actress to keep an eye on. Jody Lee Lipes' cinematography is eerily distant and then uncomfortably close; the mixed bag reflects Martha's psyche in an interesting way. The scariest thing about Martha Marcy May Marlene is that it actually could happen. It may have even benefited from taking that dive a bit further, let us know just how paranoid and altered Martha is, and especially contrasting that with the old Martha, and the only complaint I might have is that we never get to see what the original Martha was like; it is only inferred as to why she would even accept and join this group in the first place, or what exactly she was running away from. But perhaps that makes the film only more intriguing—running away brought her to this society, and of course it looks fine on the outside, with it's acceptable living conditions and always a "family' of sorts around you. But, ah, there's always more than meets the eye. B+