Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) Review

"I am a teacher and a leader" - Martha

Provocative, disturbing, and not easily forgotten, first time director Sean Durkin draws you in with his debut film, Martha Marcy May Marlene. Whether it be the stunning lead performance from Elizabeth Olsen or the unsettling atmosphere, I couldn't help but be completely engrossed in the story and characters. Martha Marcy May Marlene instantly left an impression on me, and its power can be testified through the fact that I consider it one of my favourite films of all time after just one viewing.

Right from the opening, the film builds suspense in the way it depicts the lives of a cult living on a farm, lead by the charismatic Patrick (John Hawkes). We see that the members of this cult all have a role to play on the farm, and that the women are possibly seen as less important than the men, as they are only able to eat together after the men are finished. One morning, without any explanation, Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) runs away from the cult, and she calls her older sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) for her to pick her up. Martha must then adapt back to her old life with her family, made all the more complicated with her getting to know Lucy's husband Ted (Hugh Dancy), while struggling to escape the trauma of her living with the cult for two years beforehand.

Martha Marcy May Marlene's real power are the performances, with Elizabeth Olsen of course being the standout. Throughout the film, we see the life she is living with her sister intertwined with her two years with the cult, and Olsen has to perform a massive range of emotions, from her initial happiness on the farm to her fragile state afterwards. She is completely convincing with how she portrays every stage of her character's life. I was looking forward to seeing Hugh Dancy's performance in this film, having been very much impressed with his portrayal of Will Graham in the television series Hannibal. He doesn't disappoint here, with his character being affected by the arrival of Martha into his life, Dancy is totally believable as man struggling to deal with his love for her as a new member of his family, and his frustration of her challenging his lifestyle. This makes for fantastic drama, aided by Sarah Paulson as Lucy, who is torn between wanting to help her damaged sister, and starting a family with Ted. It is the moments where all three of them are together that are the most memorable, with the tension between them growing with each scene, eventually leading up to a confrontation that is a brilliant culmination of the film's events. John Hawkes is also good, with his portrayal of cult leader Patrick not coming accross as the obvious "villain" role, but certainly with enough to make you feel uneasy for Martha and the other women living on the farm.

Alongside the stellar performances of the cast, are the thought provoking themes of corruption and identity, both of which play a big part in creating the film's surreal atmosphere. The depiction of the cult and the actions of Patrick present both themes side by side. Patrick renames all the women that join the cult, and subjects them to their initiation rights of sexual abuse, gaining absolute power and control over them. He renames Martha as Marcy May, and, combined with the dominance Patrick held over her, we begin to understand Martha's unusual behaviour when living with Lucy and Ted. Sean Durkin presents the effects these themes have on Martha as, appropriately, tragic. Martha's unstable grasp on reality and identity is cleverly depicted through her progression of strange actions, such as casually walking in on Lucy and Ted having sex and climbing into the bed, to mood swinging back into her Marcy May personality, echoing Patrick's words and advice to Lucy. Durkin further makes the audience sympathise with Martha's crisis with the use of cinematography, as we are made to feel almost as if we are sat alongside her. This is achieved not through fancy camera movements, but by simply allowing the scene to play out, with a slow, almost unnoticeable zoom in, adding to the tense exchanges and actions between the characters.

Some may not be as captivated by the film as I was, due to its surrealist nature and steady pace. However, Martha Marcy May Marlene held my attention from beginning to end, primarily due to the phenomenal central performance by Elizabeth Olsen and the equally impressive supporting cast. I was not distracted by the challenging themes and their depiction, but rather became more enticed as the characters developed and the story of Martha's two lives progressed. Any film that keeps me thinking about its characters, scenes and the overall impression it left on me, deserves to be recognised as fantastic filmmaking. And without any hesitation, I believe Martha Marcy May Marlene is one the greatest examples of this, and a film I will never forget, as I now consider it one of my all time favourites. Given time and further viewings, I may even consider it to be top of the list. 

Pros:
+ The acting is superb, totally compelling. 
+ Excellent use of cinematography draws the viewer in, very atmospheric.
+ Thought provoking themes  and their depiction will no doubt leave an impression on any viewer.
+ Non-linear story adds to the character development nicely, allowing the audience to sympathise towards Martha and become more engrossed in the events of the film.

Cons:
- Possibly should have been longer, as there is enough material to delve even deeper into Martha's warped mind, and therefore would create more opportunities for further drama and suspense.