Sound of My Voice (2011) User Reviews

The actual full explanation

[breaandmelsteele · 7/10 · 6 April 2013]

OK, considering this will be a series of movies, think like a movie writers and what will keep people interested and the movie makes perfect sense. Would you watch a trilogy about a crazy junkie, me either.

Here's what happened;

Abigail, the young girl is a bio-experiment, she requires those shots to survive. The "father" and maid are her caretakers. Her strange behavior, shots and hat are explained by the fact that she is a lab experiment. Her "father", who she never once calls dad, is just a caretaker, he gives her shots, and records her vitals on his laptop. He has no reason to show her compassion, it's not his daughter, and he's not molesting her.

Maggie is from the future. In the future, just like today, songs are REMAKES of older songs. So considering she said that not everybody has access to technology tells us that it's possible someone in the future re-sang the Cranberries song. She wants to see her mother (Abigail) because she knows that to avert disaster, and starvation in the world she has to destroy her mother (and thus herself) which is why she tells her followers she will have to leave them soon. She is preparing her followers in case she fails in avoiding disaster.

The DOJ agent is from the future, she isn't sweeping her room for bugs, she is running water to cleanse herself of germs, like what is done to the followers, she is shutting off the heat and A/C to prevent germ filled air from flowing into the room, and in her gift box was a vile, perhaps she is giving herself shots to survive in the past.

At the end the DOJ agent is returning Maggie to the future which is why we see the ultra bright light.

While not perfect, a very promising film

[acspowell · 7/10 · 25 June 2012]

Captivating and enigmatic, "Sound of My Voice" shows that you can effectively rack an audience's mind with a micro-budget. While many of the strange details and set-ups are left open ended, it's the kind of film that will you have talking with others trying to fill in the blanks long after you've seen it. In some ways, they plant more details than necessary in what seems to be an attempt to confuse the audience and test their attention.Overall, the actors in the film do a great job (especially Marling) and it proves to be a promising directorial debut for Zal Batmanglij. If you want something that also pulls at the mind emotionally, I would recommend "Another Earth".

Sound Worth Following

[aatx1154 · 7/10 · 14 May 2012]

If you are into films that are original and make you think as you leave the theater, this is the film to see while it is still in theaters. Christopher Denham and Nicole Vicius portray a couple attempting to infiltrate and expose a cult led by Brit Marling's Maggie but find themselves in too deep.

The film, presented with little back story and minor music cues leaves only the actors and scenes to bring the emotion and interest. All the actors do a good job with the material and if you go with the scenario being presented it's quite engrossing. The end result is a film that forces the viewer to do some of the heavy lifting to determine if Maggie is who she says she is or if it is all a scam.

Marling is something special and a woman to watch

[rogerdarlington · 17 August 2013]

Having seen "Another Earth" and "The East" in which Brit Marling is both the star and a co-author (plus "Arbitrage" where she just has a support part), I wanted to see "Sound Of My Voice" which she co-wrote at the same time as "Another Earth" and again provides her with a leading role. As with "The East", the other co-writer and director is her friend Zal Batmanglij and, as with "Another Earth" and "THe East". she was also a co-producer. Clearly Marling is a bright and ambitious actress who is not going to wait for good roles to be offered to her, but determined to craft them herself.

"Sound Of My Voice" was always going to have a limited appeal, since it is so incredibly low budget and markedly slow, but I found it original and mesmerising as it tells the story of Maggie who is either a visitor from the future with some important insights and messages or a complete fraud who is creating a dangerous cult. Out to expose her are Peter (Christopher Denham) and Lorna (Nicole Vicius) who want to make a revelatory documentary but find that Maggie is harder to read and to expose than they imagined. It is a pleasure to find a plot that is different and thought-provoking and Marling is definitely a woman to watch.

A Decent First Effort at the Conflict between Faith and Reason

[JustCuriosity · 6/10 · 12 March 2011]

I saw Sound of My Voice at its SXSW following its premiere at Sundance. It is a weird little film about a two documentary filmmakers investigating Maggie - a cult leader who claims to have traveled back from the future. It was made on a shoestring budget which can be seen in some of its sound and editing. While the film is a decent first effort by some talented amateur filmmakers, it feels oddly unfinished. The acting is okay, but nothing spectacular. The script is a classic presentation of the one of the oldest of cinematic and literary conflicts between faith and reason. Do you believe that Maggie is a time traveler or is she a fraud? The journey is perhaps more interesting than where it ultimately ends up. The trip to that end is worthwhile and really quite creepy and disturbing at times. Maggie is a perplexing enigma and the cult's beliefs and rituals are quite mind-boggling.

The cult members seem quite willing to believe anything in the existential quest to give their lives some meaning. They seem to want to be led somewhere and Maggie is very willing to take them. In that sense one can ask what the real difference is between a cult and an established religion. Many scholars would say not that much other than how long they've been around. The final twist is ultimately not all that shocking or truly expected. Still, a good first effort that may allow the filmmakers to move on to bigger and better stuff.

Would Make A Good Pilot For A TV Series

[johno-21 · 6/10 · 10 February 2012]

I saw this at the 2012 Palm Springs International Film Festival. An LA journalist and his girlfriend Peter (Christopher Denham) as Peter and Nicole Vicius as Lorna go underground to investigate a cult led by a woman who claims she's from the future. Brit Marling stars as Maggie, the mysterious cult leader with Richard Wharton as Klaus, her dedicated right hand man who brings the members and potential members of the the small group of followers to Maggie's home where she conducts meetings in her basement. Zal Batmanglij directs and co-wrote the script with Marling. Nice music from Rostam Batmanglij with a good-looking production value thanks to cinematographer Rachel Morrison and production designer Scott Enge. This was originally conceived as a 10 part webisode which is why the annoying and unexplainable numbers from one to ten keep popping up every few minutes. Fox Searchlight bought this and turned it into a theatrical release where it debuted as a big hit at the Sundance Film Festival last year. This comes across as more like a TV pilot for some Sci-Fi channel series than a movie. Even if a sequel to it were made as a film, it would spend the entire film just trying to explain and fill in the many unanswered story line subplots and backgrounds. Just too many loose ends here to a semi-interesting story that takes you nowhere. Would probably make a good TV series but this as a film fall flat. I would give this a 6.0 out of 10.

Excessively Slow Setup for an Interesting Idea

[davidcshannon · 6/10 · 18 March 2020]

This movie was okay. It's not fun or entertaining, but it's interesting and pretty well acted. It really should have been a 45-minute pilot for a series, not a movie twice that long.

The interesting idea could have been explained in a few minutes, so spending so long setting it up seemed overindulgent and a little boring.

It might be worth watching if you like slower movies that focus on acting and ideas, rather than entertainment or events.

Attractive Ambiguity

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 3 April 2013]

Some may find this Indie Movie indefensible because of its ambiguity and sight some confusing scenes and a less than satisfying ending. But this is a very good effort and has enough quality Production value for its budget that makes this impressive.

The Actors all give it their all and are obviously invested in this slightly offbeat Film. It is undeniably disjointed but that may be by design because it does give it a surreal feel and a brain kink. Nevertheless, this is engaging enough with a good Script that probably should have been a bit more revealing, but not so much that it stops stimulating the thought process.

This one has quite a buzz and deservingly so. There are many interpretations from involved viewers, and some will point to that as less than intelligent writing and a sophomoric cop-out. Artists usually are appreciative to that kind, any kind, of attention.

Sound of My Voice is Best of the Fest

[tovareeshmakc · 10/10 · 6 April 2011]

I saw this film at SXSW where it was playing following the film's premiere at Sundance. The film is about 2 documentary filmmakers who are determined to expose a cultleader, played by Brit Marling, as a fraud. The more time they spend with the cult, however, the more the filmmaker's relationship to each other is tested -- one continues to dismiss the cult as a hoax while the other considers the possibility, ever so slight, that the central claim of the cult leader may be true. Unlike many low-budget Indie films, the pacing was superb -- there was never a dull moment that made the film feel slow. This is partly due to the film's well-crafted suspense - we, as an audience, are constantly asking ourselves the same question that the protagonists ask: could the cult leader possibly be telling the truth? This film leaves you guessing until the end and when the answer is finally revealed, you are left with a desire for more. The only weakness is a few confusing scenes - (e.g., an FBI investigator debugs her hotel room without explanation. A young girl behaves strangely in class and its never revealed why.) According to interviews, director Zal Batmanglij is working on a trilogy that will continue the story -- very exciting news. Perhaps most satisfying about this film is that it shows that you can make a compelling story come to life on a shoe-string budget. I think this film would play well to mainstream audiences and it deserves a wider release.

One of those films that will disappoint many by leaving almost everything unanswered.

[Hellmant · 7/10 · 14 February 2013]

'SOUND OF MY VOICE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

This science fiction/psychological thriller received high critical praise and award recognition from film festivals last year and was nominated for multiple 'Geek Oscars' (if you take those seriously at all). It was directed and co-written by Zal Batmanglij and is his first feature film, following a 2007 Sci-Fi short (which also starred Brit Marling). Marling not only stars in this film (with Christopher Denham and Nicole Vicius) but she also co-wrote it. The film revolves around a couple conducting an undercover journalism investigation of a cult whose leader says she's from the future. The movie is interesting and somewhat involving but it's one of those films that will disappoint many by leaving almost everything unanswered.

Denham plays a substitute schoolteacher named Peter and Vicius plays his writer girlfriend Lorna. The two are conducting their first journalism experiment on a small cult. The cult is lead by a gorgeous but mysterious young woman named Maggie (Marling). Maggie claims she's from the war torn future of the year 2054 and has came back in time to find a group of people to better prepare for it. Peter and Lorna earn the cult's trust and are driven, blindfolded, to a hidden location where they meet Maggie. They join with eight other participants, in her psychological experiments, where she tells them about the future (but never in very much telling detail). At first both Peter and Lorna are eager to expose Maggie as a fraud but Peter soon finds himself drawn in and intrigued by her (much to the disappointment of Lorna).

The film has an interesting premise and is involving enough to keep your attention for it's somewhat fast paced 85 minute running time. It's nicely directed with a beautiful soundtrack and score and the acting is all decent. Marling is beautiful and compelling as the film's central character, Denham is relatable enough and Vicius is just beautiful. Those who need resolution in their films probably won't like this mystery much but those just looking for an interesting concept that poses a lot of intriguing questions, without giving any answers, will probably be delighted. I found it to be interesting and entertaining enough but nothing spectacular.

Watch our movie review show 'MOIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFTKqX4Wyew

Ambiguous ending fails to satisfactorily answer ultimate question about cult leader

[Turfseer · 4/10 · 2 February 2013]

Brit Marling, star and co-writer of 'Sound of MY Voice' was also responsible for 'Another Earth', a 2012 Spirit Award nominee for Best First Feature. Both films are similar in that they have an ambiguous ending which has sparked vast debate on the internet message boards. The ending of 'Sound of my Voice' is even more integral to the plot than 'Another Earth', since viewers are led to expect a big 'payoff'.

That payoff involves whether the film's antagonist, Maggie, a cult leader, who claims to be from the year 2054, actually is a time traveler from the future. Before dissecting the ending, it's important to realize that the film is also about the power of cult psychology. The film's protagonist, Peter, along with his girlfriend, Lorna, are documentary filmmakers who decide to risk all by infiltrating the group. I had a hard time with the idea that Peter, knowing how dangerous the cult is, still is intent on going ahead with his project. You have to suspend your disbelief over Peter's stubbornness, since the average person (working in a vacuum as Peter and Lorna do) would probably not take such a risk.

The film's main conceit during the 'Second Act' of the narrative is that even the most steadfast skeptics such as Peter, can be seduced by a talented manipulator. He and Lorna are subjected to a series of 'loyalty tests' including eating worms and poisoned apples, culminating in Maggie's ability to break Peter down emotionally during one of the sessions (she alludes to one of Peter's upsetting childhood memories). While Peter tells Lorna it was all just an act, later Peter agrees to assist in the abduction of Abigail, the young girl Maggie claims is her mother. Peter argues that he just wants to finish the job he started since so many people never do that. The scenarists of 'Sound of My Voice' argue whatever Peter's ultimate motive is, in the end he's been manipulated into committing an egregious act (the abduction of a child).

While hardly any of the mechanics of cult indoctrination can be termed 'suspenseful', Ms. Marling and her co-writer keep dropping hints that there's something a lot bigger afoot. The big 'twist' at the end has Abigail giving Maggie the secret handshake, leading to all kinds of speculation. Interpretations of the ending have been broken down into multiple camps.

One camp basically holds that Maggie is indeed Abigail's daughter and a time traveler. Adherents of this point of view point to the fact that when Abigail asks Maggie how she knew the secret handshake, Maggie replies, "you taught it to me." In this scenario, Abigail has been trained to be a terrorist and later Maggie receives the same indoctrination. Maggie's aim is to save her 'mother' as well as herself from those people in the future who have abused them. Carol, the self-declared 'Department of Justice' investigator, is actually a bounty hunter from the future, who is assigned to thwart Maggie's plans, as she will prevent both Abigail and Maggie from turning away from the cult in the present and the future. Camp #1 points to the fact that if these were real Department of Justice investigators, Peter would have also had to have been detained on charges of complicity in the kidnapping.

Another camp holds that Carol is a cult follower who pretends to be a Department of Justice Investigator. The cult cons Lorna into believing that Maggie has been arrested but in reality she has been simply 'taken away' by cult followers. With this belief, Lorna is no longer a threat. The 'secret handshake' has been arranged by the man who has been indoctrinating Abigail and Maggie is in on it. Peter, the skeptic, suddenly becomes a 'true believer' in the cult, as he's been conned into the whole time travel scenario.

And another camp holds time travel is impossible and it's Klaus who's the true Svengali here. He found the drug-addicted Maggie on the street and brainwashed her into believing that Abigail is her mother. Nonetheless, Abigail may indeed be Maggie's daughter and old lost memories may be breaking into her consciousness. Something inside her is telling her to save Abigail and when Peter finally brings Abigail to her and asks how she knew the secret handshake, Maggie suddenly recalls her daughter taught it to her when she was much smaller (the man who appears to be her 'father' is a cult follower who has been brainwashing little Abigail since her earliest memories, and taught her the secret handshake). Carol is actually affiliated with the DOJ and interrupts the confused Maggie and arrests her, as she is aware that she has a criminal history. Nonetheless, Maggie may not be held criminally liable as later on it may come out that she has been manipulated by Klaus.

There seem to be a myriad of explanations to explain the ending of this film. Some people believe that such ambiguity is a mark of a great film--the fact that so many people can come up with so many different explanations as to what this film is about, is held up by some, as a sign of great creativity. On the other hand, others (including myself), feel that this kind of writing is a cop-out. Do you really have a definitive point of view you're trying to put across? Or are you leaving things intentionally ambiguous because you really haven't thought through precisely what you're trying to say?

I suppose a film such as this which engenders so much discussion on the internet deserves an extra star. But ultimately, the film never answers fundamental questions about its antagonist which should be answered, leading one to conclude that the film's scenarists do not have a firm grasp on their material.

One of the best of Sundance

[marc-262 · 10/10 · 30 January 2011]

Sound of My Voice was one of the best-crafted feature films at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. I was fortunate enough to secure a ticket for the screening at The Library theater, and the place was packed.

Sound of My Voice is the story of two amateur documentary filmmakers who decide to infiltrate a secretive cult run by a mysterious woman who calls herself Maggie. They want to expose the cult for reasons that become apparent later in the film. Sound of My Voice is a thriller, so it is hard to describe much without giving away key plot elements, so I will simply say that the acting is superb throughout.

The real standout is double-threat Britt Marling who not only stars as Maggie, but also co-wrote the screenplay with Zal Batmanglij (Marling also co-wrote and starred in Another Earth -- which was also a Sundance standout).

The cinematography, editing, and score lend just the right edgy feel to this film. Even though Sound of My Voice was shot on a micro-budget, it pays off better than most of the indie films one sees at your local art house. In fact, I could easily see this film crossing over to play at some commercial theaters in large cities. You will be on the edge of your seat, desperately trying to discover the truth, and when the lights come up, Sound of My Voice will both satisfy and leave you begging for more.

Disjointed yet functional

[farron34 · 6/10 · 16 February 2013]

Though disjointed in a way; set ups that are never completed, not many fully developed characters, and lots of unanswered questions – I feel it works. It works on a higher level, in that, if really put into that situation, I'm sure there'd be a mile-long list of unanswered questions and uncertainties.

It held my attention throughout, but not sure if that was due to interest or confusion. The film was broken into 6(?) Chapters, though not ultimately sure what they were to signify or how they are tied in to the story (the only obvious significance was showing the passage of time). I enjoyed the simplicity of the film, and the fact that the plot was somewhat original.

Excellent looking film but copout on the ending

[sleepydvdr · 5/10 · 26 September 2012]

I just finished watching this movie at home and I must say that it has the qualities of a big production movie. That is, it has high definition film quality and it doesn't look like a low budget production. The acting is pretty solid all around. Even the plot was decent, but not thrilling.

I thought I had it all figured out toward the end, but at the last minute, something happens to make you reconsider everything.

Spoiler alert... Quit reading if you don't want to read a spoiler!

After the last minute handshake that makes you think maybe this time traveler might actually be from the future, you have to come back to reality and realize this is probably a cult scam. Why? There are police records of the woman who has done this exact same thing in the past and the gov't agent knew she would ask for the main character to bring her a child. If this were real life, you would quickly dismiss her as a fraud. For the majority of the film, everything points to this being a full fledged cult right up until the last moment when the secret handshake turns everything upside down. If a movie wants to suspend your disbelief, it needs to do better than that. Maybe this movie should have planted more clues along the way and reveal them at the end. Or walk a thinner line between a cult leader and a time traveler. But just pulling a 360 right at the end with nothing to back it up doesn't work for me.

Overall, I think it was a slightly above average effort. The production values were awesome, but the plot lacked because of the the abrupt and unfulfilling ending. I know a believable ending for this kind of movie is extremely hard to accomplish, but this movie didn't really try to give us that.

1hr and 30 minutes you will never get back.

[mrryanroberts · 22 September 2012]

I could spend 3hrs writing a review on how many holes there are in this movie. The acting is sub-par and the plot is beyond terrible. Do yourself a favour and shove a fork in your eyes before "viewing" this movie it may actually improve it. The bland, jittery visual "realism" can't counteract overheated performances of tin-eared dialogue, which strain for pulp but often land at soap.Holds your attention for a while, but fails to build much suspense as it races toward a predictable climax. It probably would have worked better as a series of Webisodes, which reportedly was the original plan.In the end, the film doesn't add up to much of anything, but its individual parts are sometimes greater than its whole.

Sound of My Voice is an exploration of a cult like no other

[dalydj-918-255175 · 7/10 · 2 December 2012]

"Strange and New, Sound of My Voice questions what we believe to be true and we can be convinced is true through a riveting performance by Brit Marling."

Cults are always questionable on the sanity of the creator and followers of it. Peter Aitken (Christopher Denham) is one of those investigative journalists who is trying to prove this certain cult run by supposed time traveller Maggie (Brit Marling). The group is small but Peter along with his partner Lorna Michaelsen (Nicole Vicius) enter the cult sure that these people are crazy for believing this women but as they go through many tests and reveal more of themselves to Maggie even doing what she asks of them including kidnapping a child she believes to be her mother. The two question their believes and this also makes us as a audience question the actual idea of a cult.

The film is weird and strange but you can expect that especially from a movie based mainly in the basement of a house where a strange women claims to be from the future there to save them all from what is going to happen. Many of the tests are exactly what you expect especially when Maggie gives her rousing speeches when she questioned but also when she talks normally to these people who believe almost everything she is saying. Outside of the meeting with Maggie the film falls slow especially scenes with Peter as he teaches class to girls including a special little girl who becomes an important part to bringing down this cult when Maggie claims this girl is her mother.

Christopher Debham as Peter is great especially when he does not say much outside of these cult meetings. Only at one stage in the meeting does he question Maggie causing her to question him and he starts to reveal information that you would believe is him being wrapped up in the universe of the cult. He is great in that scene and his performance overall is very natural. Brit Marling (who also co-wrote the script) plays Maggie and she is really the best thing about the film because from her first appearance to her final departure she just lights the screen with joy but she can also be nasty when she needs to be. As the cult leader Brit plays her more quiet saying her many speech's and when she is questioned she has complete control she can get someone kicked out of the group because she wanted to. Marling continues to impress making her one to always watch for.

The film overall is great but mainly due to the cult meetings which just are so well set and written you feel as if you are in one of the meetings. Outside of these scenes the film is just fine but I do not feel for any of those but they are small and we go quick back to the cult meetings.

MOVIE GRADE: B- (MVP: Brit Marling)

Intriguing film

[nathanielpk · 7/10 · 21 June 2015]

I ended up watching this film because I thought the premise was interesting. Two people attempt to penetrate a cult housing a self proclaimed traveler from the future.

Honestly some sections were a bit slow, but not slow enough to lose focus. Sill I thought it was very well done, and draws parallels to faith and belief in our current society. The actors were convincing and I was enthralled the whole way through. Great break from the blockbusters out there, relying on concepts and ideas instead of flashy visual effects. Overall worth the watch, very open ended and will definitely leave you think thinking!

Want to see the other parts of the trilogy

[ragingbull_2005 · 6/10 · 25 September 2012]

this is one of those films which make you think and reason. there is this journalist who along with his girlfriend infiltrate a cult whose leader claims that she is from the year 2054. there are a few scenes which are really very special and gripping. the acting is competent all round. the ending is somewhere between expected and a big WOW. would recommend this to m y friends who love movies like the fantastic Martha Marcy May Marlene, to me the definitive movie about a cult and its weird customs, and to those who are all eagerly waiting to watch The Master. 3out of 5 for this. there are not many new things but the old ones are done well. loved it. the 80 minute duration also helped.

uncertain future

[dromasca · 6/10 · 23 November 2012]

There are many interesting scenes and ideas in Sound a My Voice, the first film of director Zal Batmanglij. Co-written with Brit Marling, one of the two feminine stars of the film it tells the story of a young couple who engage in a potentially dangerous undercover investigation of a cult built around a woman who no less but claims to come from the future. A future where the world seems to have pedaled back in technology and the (American) nation is engaged in a civil war. With the action paced by the separation in ten segments, the story advances in a way that presents the facts in a supposedly objective manner and lets the viewer guess where the truth is. Premises are interesting.

So, who is really the fascinating Maggie (played by Marling), the inspiring leader of the cult – a con-artist full of charisma and psychological intuition or maybe she is really what she claims? And whom of the two young investigators, Peter (Christopher Denham) and Lorna (Nicole Vicius) will truly fall under her spell? There are enough reasons to be on the edge for most of the time of the screening, and the completely open ending leads to the thoughts about this film to follow the viewers after leaving the cinema hall.

Despite of the many good intentions and ideas, Sound of My Voice however disappoints. It is maybe the film-making which really never seems to aspire to go beyond the good B-movies level. Or maybe the lack of consistency (derived from lack of experience in writing the script? The good script and the original story makes the film raise above the usual horror or investigation genres. Unfortunately the director stopped mid-way, and the promises are only partly fulfilled. There is however enough good stuff in Sound of My Voice to make me expect better things from the careers of Batmanglij and Marling.

Fabulously Immerses You

[michaelintp · 10/10 · 2 February 2012]

I loved this film. Must be watched without distraction, to allow yourself to be immersed in the mood and flow of the piece, to feel at times like a person investigating a cult, at times like a person with doubts, at times like a person embracing it, while at times as a person ... in bewilderment ... and wonder. Emotions that draw you in, just as they draw in the cult members.

Needless to say this is not a special effects film, despite the "science-fiction" question it raises. It is all about the people.

All those involved in writing, producing, financing, directing, and acting in this film, deserve an incredible amount of credit.

A frustrating but often fascinating mystery-without-a-solution.

[barnabyrudge · 6/10 · 24 December 2012]

If you enjoy films which leave lots of unanswered questions and food for debate, then Sound Of My Voice might be the very thing to whet your appetite. If, however, you like to feel a sense of closure as the credits roll at the end of a movie, you should avoid this like the plague. One might call it a "mystery-without-a-solution", a deliberate brain teaser that throws up endless possibilities but stubbornly refuses to reveal its answers. Fascinating, yes, but perhaps a little too pretentious and frustrating for the average viewer.

Young documentary film-makers Peter Aitken (Christopher Denham) and Lorna Michaelson (Nicole Vicius) attempt to infiltrate a secret cult in California, hoping to expose those behind it of fraud while making a name for themselves in the field of investigative journalism. The leader of the cult is Maggie (Brit Marling, co-writer of the film), an enigmatic woman who claims to be from the future. She welcomes Peter, Lorna and a number of other new recruits into her group, and subjects them to a number of intense emotional tests, claiming that if they prove worthy she will lead them to a better life than the one the future holds for them. The situation becomes more convoluted when Peter shows signs of falling under Maggie's mesmerising spell. He assures Lorna that he is simply playing a part, trying to convince Maggie and her followers that he supports their beliefs, but Lorna is not so sure. In a disturbing turn of events, Peter is instructed by Maggie to bring him a child, specifically 8 year-old Abigial Pritchett (Avery Pohl), a gifted but mentally unstable pupil from the school where Peter used to work. Reluctant to play a part in a potential kidnapping, yet determined to complete his investigation, Peter is faced with an impossible choice. A choice made even more perplexing when Maggie claims that she is, in fact, Abigail's future daughter…

The low-key documentary-style approach works well on the whole, generating a sense of unsettling paranoia and mistrust. It's hard to have confidence in the motives of any of the film's characters, as everyone seems to be lying or potentially lying about something or other at various points in the story (even Peter and Lorna). There are clues that perhaps Maggie is a brainwashed junkie; perhaps young Abigail is being indoctrinated for a terrorist cause; perhaps Lorna is a spy working toward an end-game of her own; perhaps Maggie really is a time traveller and not necessarily the only one in the film (there's a hint that another character may have come from the future to capture her). The key word is 'perhaps' – everything is open-ended and nothing is made specific, so that as the credits roll a seemingly endless list of questions is left dangling before the viewer. It seems likely that writer-director Zal Batmanglij and his co-scripter Marling have muddied the waters intentionally, aiming presumably for a Donnie Darko-style 'multiple interpretation' vibe. The performances are generally very engaging, especially Marling as the beguiling cult leader, and the film is neatly paced to keep the audience intrigued throughout. Ultimately, the whole thing proves a little too ambiguous for its own good – there's nothing wrong with leaving things open for individual interpretation, but in this case almost everything remains unexplained. If you can handle going for a ride without arriving at an identifiable final destination, then Sound Of My Voice offers some interestingly mind-boggling ideas. It might be the most frustrating film of the year, but that's not entirely a bad thing.

Okay

[thegoodthebadthesmugly · 5/10 · 17 August 2013]

I read the synopsis for this movie and thought it sounded very interesting. My conclusion: Just read the plot line like a miniature novel and you can appreciate the story much more. I didn't much care for the movie in comparison. I felt it could've been done much better.

I agree with the other reviewer calling the ending a cop-out. There was just so much missing with the movie. It also would've been much better with character actors that had more charisma, particularly with Maggie who is supposed to be incredibly charismatic but just comes off incredibly weird (I'm sure it's sort of the point, but couldn't she have been at least a little charming since it calls it?).

Plot Holes? All the better!

[novalux0 · 9/10 · 4 August 2013]

Let me begin by saying the movie was great throughout. It's original, thought provoking, and you are always suspenseful throughout the whole movie, guessing as to what could come next. For the budget it was made on, the movie looked quite professional, with great acting as well. But one of the big problems I noticed people had with this film was the plot holes, the missing details. Luckily, these aren't huge gaping holes that make the main story confusing, just details like why the child was acting so strange.

There are two ways you could look at this though. You could see it as the directors being lazy and not explaining everything, or you could see it as the directors purposely leaving out those details, making you actively think about the video. I tend to think the latter, especially in this case. People said that inception was confusing too, but that's what made it so much better then your average movie. Rarely does a flick ever come along that makes you think instead on just passively watching a TV screen, and this is one of them.

A very interesting film

[diafora17 · 7/10 · 17 October 2012]

The script was really interesting and the whole approach to the mysterious character of Maggie (Brit Marling) escalated throughout the whole film. Her acting or more likely her whole 'aura' if I may use such a term, truly gave the "breath of life" to this movie.

The interesting part about this cult was that it was formed by a small circle of individuals, while the main figure claimed she was coming from the future. All the different personalities unraveled slowly and different motives, pasts, fears and doubts started coming out. The film didn't go too deep into that, but it was a good attempt. The main feeling about the mysterious background of Maggie (as well as that of the journalist and his girlfriend) was "doubt". The viewer travels through a palindromic sensation of losing or gaining "faith" on Maggie, and so did the two new members of the cult; it was also interesting to see that this back and forth in terms of "faith" was taking place between them too.

One point I didn't particularly like was that the cult didn't have a clear message. It was preparing the viewer for something that didn't come. On the other hand, one that supposedly comes from the future must have his own reasons for choosing you to be part of the inner circle, and no explanations are required. It's the knower against the ignorant. One that has seen, knows – but the ones' living in the past are obviously ignorant of the future, and therefore doubt arises. But to draw you own conclusions I recommend that you watch the film.

The camera is of rather low quality, but I suppose it's a low budget film. It could have gone deeper with the characters, although it all adds up nicely at the end.

So I recommend this film! If you are a Hollywood action type of viewer, or can't appreciate a lower budget film that builds on characters rather than visual effects,well...you know what to do. If you want to cultivate or learn to appreciate films that attempt to work with characters and their complicated personalities, then start with "sound of my voice". The title is beyond excellent I must say (at least for the ones that have ears to hear...)

All about the ending

[Crazyfilmreviewer · 1/10 · 18 July 2013]

As for the Film itself it is not great. Very slow and kinda boring. Reading other reviews of this film there seems to be a lot or in most cases too much thought put into the ending.

******Spoilers and my own take on the films ending coming up so turn back now if you have not watched it *******

OK so here it goes. This is what the film is about for me. It is a pretty simple take and what i thought of straight away as i watched the film. There is no time travel nonsense.

Maggie is a nut job. Wanted by the law and on the run. She set all of this up to kidnap and get her daughter back. Yes i think abigail was her daughter. Abigail's parents got divorced and the dad got custody. The reason how abigail knew the handshake is cause maggie her mother taught it to her when she was younger. Maybe her dad still uses it with her. we don't know. Abigail cant remember her moms face cause she was too young. . Thats it film was rubbish.