Martha Marcy May Marlene

Written and directed by: Sean Durkin

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes, Hugh Dancy

Rating: 9/10

For such fascinating subject matter there really aren’t very many good films made about cults. I know there have been countless TV movies about the Manson family, Jonestown and Waco but it is sadly rare to see films that treat the subject with any kind of psychological depth. Sean Durkin’s debut film Martha Marcy May Marlene is one such rarity.

Focussing very much NOT on the machinations of life in a cult, but instead on the devastating psychological residue after one girl’s daring escape from the commune, the film's insight into life in the commune comes in flashes. These short but very telling snippets merely highlight what she went through and some of the ploys used to keep the members loyal. Durkin chooses not to dwell on life in the cult which serves the overall arc nicely but leaves the audience gagging to spend more time inside the commune and in the presence of their absolutely terrifying leader Patrick, a typically charismatic leader dripping with menace.

Martha, the young escapee is taken in by her older sister. Their relationship is complicated and it is clear that this is not the warmest environment for Martha as she tries to rejoin society. Her sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) lives in a large lake house; very modern and very cold, with her new husband Ted, a short-tempered workaholic. It is the polar opposite of beat-up, energetic but strangely inviting house on the commune. As Lucy genuinely tries to understand her sister and sympathise with her there is always a sense that she is weary of Martha’s negative presence in her otherwise pleasant life. There are tender moments between the two and some affection but the sisters just cannot connect.

The two worlds the film inhabits, the lake house and the commune, seem equally oppressive to Martha and it is with great sadness that the audience slowly accepts that maybe this girl won’t ever feel part of any society.

Much of the film focuses on Martha’s paranoia after escaping the cult. She fears Patrick and she knows he will go to any lengths to get her back. The line is often blurred between what is happening in reality and what Martha’s mind is creating out of fear. For some this may prove tiresome and that’s understandable but there’s something to be admired in Durkin’s ability to stay true to his vision for the film and not to fall into any soap opera theatrics, though the film is not without its nerve-shredding scenes.

Martha, a complex, not always likeable character, is played with remarkable power and haunting sympathy by Elizabeth Olsen, sister to the not even remotely haunting Olsen Twins. Cast just two weeks before the shoot, Elizabeth’s wholesome beauty and melancholy eyes are sure to remain niggling at you for a long time after the films ends. The same can be said for John Hawkes as Patrick, whose sharp sneer and intelligent eyes will surely stay in your nightmares for a long time after. Like his Oscar-nominated turn as Teardrop in Winter’s Bone, Hawkes is both brimming with menace and oozing unconventional charm. The hold he has over Martha (or Marcy May, as he chooses to name her) and her naïve acceptance of his love packs a powerful punch mainly due to the wealth of subtle energy behind both actors’ eyes. Despite the depth of Patrick’s cruelty and devastating emotional manipulation there’s something in the performance that makes him strangely alluring; just seductive enough to ensure the situation is believable. Two extremely strong characters and equally strong performances carry the film into much more interesting territory.

Martha Marcy May Marlene may not be a perfect film and many will be frustrated by its lack of conclusions of any sort but it is certainly unique and it’s dozy, dreamy air makes for haunting cinema.

 - Charlene Lydon

Crazy Heart

Written & Directed by: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall

Rating: 7/10

Every year, around Oscar time we get hit with a film like Crazy Heart. An ageing drunk gets chance after chance to redeem his or her-self but time after time they fail until they get a wake-up call and get back on track, or do they...? Last year it was The Wrestler, this year it’s Crazy Heart. Despite the fact that I’ve seen this movie at least twenty times before this was a pleasant experience overall. A nicely paced, superbly acted cautionary tale, this is certainly worth checking out and with two acting nominations and a nod for Best Song you should probably try to get to it before Oscar time.

The protagonist, haggard country singer Bad Blake (Bridges) is reaching the end of the line. He has been consumed by his alcoholism and is slowly coming to rock bottom. On the road, playing gigs in bowling alleys and dodgy bars in New Mexico, Bad disgraces himself night after night. At one of these gigs he meets beautiful young journalist Jean (Gyllenhaal) and they form a friendship which soon turns into a love affair. Despite their chemistry, the road to love is rocky due to Jean’s four year old son and Bad’s 50 year old addiction.

Much has been made of Jeff Bridges’ performance in this film and I believe deservedly. This character is never anything but loveable, despite his flaws. He is a good person and his “rock bottom” moments are difficult to endure. His singing is beautifully craggy and he sounds like a man who has been singing all his life. He is a shoo-in for the Oscar this year and not only because he is long overdue the recognition, but because this is easily the best leading man performance of the year (though, that didn’t help Mickey Rourke last year). A pleasant surprise is Colin Farrell’s extended cameo as Tommy Sweet, Bad’s one time protégé who has overtaken him and left him to the dust. He is a huge country star and for the first half of the film, he is set up as the villain of the piece. However, when we finally meet him, he is a genuine man who has been swept up in the corporate nonsense of country music, but still has nothing but love and respect for his mentor. Farrell sells this character really well, giving one of his best performances to date, and provides his own vocals to impressive effect. Man of many talents!

This is an enjoyable film. It is well paced, nicely shot and boasts superb performances all round. If you like backwoods, smoky country music then you’ll enjoy T-Bone Burnett’s songs which are plentiful throughout. Nothing we haven’t seen before but Crazy Heart is a highly enjoyable night at the cinema.

- Charlene Lydon

Precious

Written by: Geoffrey Fletcher

Starring: Gaby Sidibe, Mo'nique, Paula Patton

My Rating: 2/10

While watching Precious, I was entertained. I felt that the plot was involving and that, although it was a bit cheesy, it was a decent enough flick that felt somewhat like a TV movie. However, after mulling it over in the coming hours I began to feel angry at its audacity and its nastiness.

The plot revolves around a 16 year old, overweight, black girl, Precious, who is abused by her stepmother, raped by her father and marginalised by society. Her rape resulted in a down-syndrome daughter and now, another pregnancy. To top things off, she's just been diagnosed as HIV positive.

The story is almost unbearably sad. What bothered me about it is the way in which the filmmakers revel in the abject horror of Precious' life. Particularly, the way they portray food, Precious' body and the almost comically OTT abuse from her stepmother. It struck me that they are not respectfully telling this story, they are making this as difficult to sit through as a Saw movie. This is not a true story, it is a work of fiction. So, basically, a writer sat down and wrote a list of the most awful, horrible things a person can endure then made a film about it. There is no emotional resonance to that. There is no tragedy in that. It is torture porn in the guise of social comment. Most insulting is the "happy ending. No spoilers here but I hate to break it to y'all but there's no happy endings with HIV! A HIV positive teenager with two children, one with special needs, the other presumably HIV positive. No job, no prospects. Where's the "happy" in that?? Oh, she learned to read. Congratulations!

The film does boast some great central performances by Gaby Sidibe and Mo'nique and the climactic showdown between mother, daughter and therapist is disturbing and powerful. However, something tells me the hysteria in the US won't fly this side of the water. Don't bother, unless you're desperate for a weepie.

- Charlene Lydon