Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

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  TheMovieDiorama

  7 / 10

  Martha Marcy May Marlene details the psychological damage after being brainwashed. I really didn't know too much going into this, a rather unknown film that is infrequently discussed. To my surprise, I found this to be a resonating and haunting experience that boasted great cinematography and acting. A young girl named Martha escapes an abusive cult and returns to her family. As a result of a brainwashed mind, she suffers from delusions and paranoia to which she must attempt to restore her mentality before she loses it entirely. When the word "cult" is sprung into a description, you automatically think witches or vampires where they commence blood rituals and sacrificing lambs. In actual fact, cults are more common than you might think. In this story, the cult manipulated women into thinking they are vital aspects to a "family" but are deceived into being sexually abused. The screenplay downplays the ideologies of this goal, not for political aspirations, but to create an experiential visceral depiction of abuse. Some of the scenes are not pleasant to watch, I would go as far as saying the whole narrative makes you feel uneasy. The spiky relationship between Martha and Lucy was just as edgy as the cult flashbacks. The chronological shifts embed the two together, however the film isn't intelligent enough to utilise this method and deliver a good payoff. It seemed forced. Elizabeth Olsen's lead debut was a poignant one, she was mesmerising and captured the fragility of Martha beautifully. Sarah Paulson also caught my interest, another understated performance from her. The cinematography was hypnotising and the confident one take scenes felt bold and really enhanced the experience. Any emotional gauge or connection just didn't exist unfortunately, I wanted to empathise with the characters but a cold barrier was preventing me from doing so. The ending, as ambiguous as it was, again felt rather cold and unfinished. A captivating story, just not an emotionally powerful one.

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