RSS 2.0 FeedNovember 16, 2011, Film
“Martha Marcy May Marlene” should begin with marvelous
Made famous by their long stint on television, the Olsen twins capitalized on their cuteness and made a ton of money—but it’s their little sister, Elizabeth, who demonstrates she has all the talent with 2011’s biggest breakout performance in the twisting drama “Martha Marcy May Marlene.”
In his first full-length feature film as a writer/director, Sean Durkin proves he belongs behind the camera as he coaxes an unexpectedly superb performance from relative newcomer Elizabeth Olsen in Martha Marcy May Marlene. Durkin’s pacing rarely falters as it switches seamlessly back and forth between the present and recent past.
There’s a secluded communal farm somewhere in New York State where the men perform all the physical labor and can drive while the women are relegated to gardening, cooking, sewing, and having babies. The women cannot eat until the men are finished. The women are also required to sleep together in one large room. One girl named Marcy May (Olsen) has seemingly had enough and flees into the nearby woods, where she’s chased like a fugitive.
With nowhere else to turn, Marcy May makes a desperate phone call to her older sister, Lucy (Sarah Paulson, Serenity), who picks her up and takes her back to the Connecticut rental house she’s sharing on vacation with her architect husband, Ted (Hugh Dancy, Adam). The latter becomes increasingly frustrated with Marcy May, who goes back to being called by her real name, Martha.
Martha is emotionally unstable, thanks to the brainwashing she received from the mysterious, charismatic alpha male of the communal farm/cult, Patrick (John Hawkes), who relies on his henchmen to bring in vulnerable young women so he can have his way with them.
Martha doesn’t know how to think for herself anymore and has lost sense of her identity, which only adds to her initial emotional disconnect with Lucy. Meanwhile, Lucy and Ted grow more frustrated with each passing day as Martha’s reluctance to talk about the two years of abuse causes her psyche to fracture.
Olsen is this year’s Jennifer Lawrence as she delivers the breakout performance of the year. She goes beyond simply crawling under her damaged character’s skin by wrapping herself effortlessly around Martha’s own troubled soul. Olsen’s eyes intensely convey Martha’s chaotic sense of confusion, pain, and paranoia, and her chemistry with the other cast members is perfectly fluid, especially with Paulson and Hawkes.
Hawkes shifts from subtle creepiness to cold-blooded evil as he exudes a Charles Manson-like vibe throughout his performance. It further demonstrates the eye-opening range he has an actor when you factor in his notable roles in Winter’s Bone and Earthwork.
Paulson delivers an adequate performance as the motherly older sister who experiences trouble re-bonding with Martha. She lacks any kind of “wow” factor, although there is more to her performance than that of “the guy who plays her husband,” who is largely forgettable within five minutes once the closing credits have finished scrolling across the darkened silver screen.
Martha Marcy May Marlene should not be missed, and if you pay close attention you’ll find out where the name “Marlene” comes into play.
On a letter grade scale from “A” being excellent to “F” for failing, Martha Marcy May Marlene receives an A-.
Martha Marcy May Marlene is rated R and has a running time of 120 minutes.
Now showing through November 17 @
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square
4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO
Visit www.tivolikc.com, or call 913-383-7756 for more information.
Glenwood Arts
9575 Metcalf
Overland Park, KS
Visit www.fineartsgroup.com or call 913-642-4404 for more information.
Indie Film Editor
Michael D. Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri followed by a Master of Arts in history at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Inspired by such critics as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, Michael started reviewing films in 1992 for College of the Ozarks's student-run newspaper. After returning to the Kansas City area in 1994, he continued film reviewing by writing for the Cass County Democrat Missourian in Harrisonville.
In 2000 Michael joined Sun Publications in Overland Park, Kansas where he served as its film critic and Arts and Entertainment Editor. During his tenure there, he was also the film critic for the "Fine Arts Radio Hour" and "Celebrity Scoop" radio shows on KXTR. After leaving the Sun in late 2002, he became the A&E writer for the Olathe News in Olathe, Kansas. He also worked as a freelance writer for The Squire in Leawood, Showcase Publishing in Lake Ozark, Missouri and the Kansas City Star.
Michael is currently a member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, a professional film critic organization established in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser.
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