LoveFilm? I actually have nothing right now! I know for sure that I’ll be getting the next 24 CD but, other than that, I’m completely in the dark. As long as none of the next DVDs contain Adam Sandler, I’ll be content.
Amazon? Lord Of The Flies done with, now I get started on David Copperfield. More accessible than other Dickens books language-wise, which is a relief. But bloody long, so expect a long wait before I bring news of new literature.
Why has this movie got such a weird title, you ask? Good question. And conveniently, by answering your question, I can explain the story too:
Marcy Mae runs away from the weird hippy cult she was sucked into. Only, her name isn’t actually Marcy Mae; that was the name given to her by cult leader Patrick (we’ll get onto him in a bit). Her real name is Martha, which is what her sister and brother-in-law call her when they take her in. They don’t know what she’s been through, and she refuses to tell them anything. But moving from the past to the present is very difficult for Martha. As she’s haunted by memories of that bizarre world, she struggles to reconnect with the real world. And don’t worry about the Marlene bit, it’s not important.
I remember when I first heard about this movie, learning that the lead actor was none other than the younger sister of those talentless-but-probably-billionaires-so-I-can-fuck-off Olsen twins. Being the judgmental dick that I am, I thought: it’s an Olsen, I’m not convinced. But I heard more. I heard it was great. I heard she was great, she being Elizabeth Olsen. I heard it won awards. Just lots and lots of good things. So I had to see it for myself. And largely, I wasn’t disappointed. Well, to be honest, I was mostly blown away.
Martha Marcy Mae Marlene is a very, very good movie. There is a lot to like about it. I don’t think the movie was spectacular – it nearly was – but there’s more than enough to be enjoyed. From the very first minute of the film, I was gripped. Usually, films over ninety minutes start to drag on for me, but the two hour running time for this flew by. I could have sat there for another half an hour happily, I was that engrossed. Only problem is that, when it did finish, I was a bit underwhelmed. Throughout the movie, there is this slowly-building sense of dread that something bad is about to happen. And just as that bad thing happens, bam! Movie’s over. Literally. I was wanting to see more of that bad thing, and it didn’t happen. Don’t get me wrong, the ending is really cleverly handled, but I wanted even just five more minutes. Perhaps that was the feeling the director wanted me to have, dunno.
The performances were a mixed bag – there were two tremendous performances, and the rest was just…there. Elizabeth Olsen is one of those special two people. I mean, she is bloody brilliant. I might be wrong but I think this was her feature film debut, and her performance is unbelievably mature and really moving. At one end, her innocence and naivety as she’s brainwashed into the ways of the cult (which we see through flashbacks); and at the other end, her paranoia, detachment and fear once she’s run away; it’s all really well-expressed by Olsen. A lot of people are saying this is a ‘star is born’ performance from her, and I agree completely. The other standout performance is John Hawkes as Patrick. He is scarily believable as the enigmatic leader able to brainwash these fragile girls, making what he does to them all the more menacing. Everyone else seems to have quite stereotypical roles. Good acting, don’t get me wrong, but nothing as distinct as the two leads, which was surprising.
Technically, the film is perfect, it really is. The editing is superb – we move between the past and the present constantly, but it is seamless and never confusing. The camera is hardly ever still; it’s always moving slightly, jittering, adding to the paranoia, almost documentary-like. There’s also barely any music, so it’s very powerful when there is. There’s a bit in the film where Patrick plays a song on the guitar, and that small two-minute musical sequence embodies the entire film: amazingly beautiful on the surface and horrifically ugly underneath. Just like Patrick is; just like Martha is; just like the world is. Amazing song too.
And an amazing film, overall. I definitely recommend going to see it. It’s textbook indie filmmaking. Done and dusted in twenty days, very small budget, slightly off-kilter story. And above all, a great central performance. This is an Olsen to keep an eye on, take my word for it.
Another one bites the dust. Just as I’m typing this, the sweet drones of Morrissey and ‘Everyday is Like Sunday’ start playing. I don’t need to tell you to listen to Morrissey, you should be doing it anyway!
You can follow me on that Twitter malarky - @writeofcentre – and you can find me on Facebook too. I’ll end my shameless self-promotion now. Buh-bye!
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