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 [es]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 2011 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

La fuga di Martha

Filming Locations:

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

Shot over 20 days.

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Quotes

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

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Project X (2012)

User Reviews

What's wrong with you?

Greetings again from the darkness. This one has been on my radar since the Sundance Festival and all the raves about Elizabeth Olsen's performance. After attending a screening last evening, I find myself at a loss to adequately describe not just her stunning turn, but also this unusual film from writer/director Sean Durkin.

On the surface, this sounds like just another movie peeking inside a creepy cult that brainwashes, and psychologically and physically abuses women, and is led by a charismatic (and creepy) religious style figure-head. There are many similarities to the Manson-family story of which much has been published, but Mr. Durkin takes the film in a much different and very creative direction by concentrating on what happens to Martha (Olsen) after she escapes the cult.

In the Q&A, Durkin states he did much research and found the most fascinating story to be that of a cult escapee and what she went through during her first three weeks of freedom. Martha sneaks out early one morning and places a panic call to her older sister, whom she hasn't communicated with in two years. Settling in to the lake house with big sis and new brother-in-law, it becomes quite obvious that Martha doesn't know how to fit in society and has absolutely no interest in discussing her recent past.

The sister is played very well by Sarah Paulson, and her husband is Hugh Dancy (so very good in Adam). This seemingly normal yuppie couple is trying to do right by Martha, but the fits of paranoia, outbursts of anger, and societal goofs are just too much for them.

The genius of this film is in the story telling. The cinematic toggling between today and moments of time at the cult farm house leads the viewer right into the confused mind of Martha. We don't get much back story but it's obvious she was "ripe" for cult world when she was chosen. We see how Patrick, the quietly charismatic leader, sings her a song and steals her heart ... she wants so much to belong. We also see how she bonds with the other women at the farm house, and ends up in a situation that seems to snap her out just enough so she finds the strength to leave. The editing of scenes between these two worlds in outstanding and serve to keep the viewer glued to the screen.

Last year I raved about an independent film called Winter's Bone. I chose it as one of the year's best and it ended with some industry award recognition. I am not willing to say this film is quite at that level, but I will say that the younger sister of the Olsen twins, Elizabeth, delivers an incredible first feature film performance and Sean Durkin deserves an audience for his first feature film as writer/director. Another bond between the two indies is that John Hawkes plays the cult leader Patrick, and Hawkes was a standout in Winter's Bone.

There will undoubtedly be some debate about whether this is cutting edge independent filmmaking or just another snooty art-house mind-messer. All I can say is, I hope the film grabs enough audience for the debate to matter ... it deserves it.