Martha Marcy May Marlene: One of the Best Indie Films of the Year Opens This Week

Martha Marcy May Marlene is the cumbersome title of an excellent new independent film that has been receiving great buzz since premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.  I saw it at Toronto's Fest last month and it definitely is one of the best independent films I've seen all year. 

It stars Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, a teenaged girl who, at the start of the film, is seen running away from a cult compound of similarly lost youth.  She calls her sister Lucy seeking refuge in her home but won't discuss what happened during her missing years.  We only learn about her experiences through a series of flashbacks and dreams that are intercut with the present day scenes.  It's a very effective technique that emphasizes how her memories are increasingly brought to her consciousness via simple everyday activities.  All of this has major effect on the home life of Lucy and her husband Ted.  They try their best to give comfort to Martha without even knowing the full extent of her trauma.
 
The film does a great job of exploring the lasting psychological effects of cults that are lead by manipulative, self-serving men who prey upon impressionable lost youth.  It's easy to see how quickly Martha had become part of this world with its invitation to connectedness and love.  The community here eventually uses its members for sex and crime in some pretty disturbing scenes.  The result of the behavior is a severely wounded bunch of teens.
 
The title of the film reflects the various identities given and taken by Martha during her period with the group.  The leader, played with chilling effect by John Hawkes, brands her Marcy May.  When calls are made to the compound, all girls refer to themselves as Marlene.  These changing identities suggest how splintered from reality the young people have become since joining up with their leader.
 
Olsen is sensational in the lead role.  She embodies Martha with life, bringing to surface her various layers. If all goes well - and an Oscar nomination may be in the calling for Olsen - look for her to have a long career in film.  Sarah Paulson and Hugh Dancy are also excellent as Lucy and Ted.
 
Martha Marcy May Marlene may be a little unsettling at times but it beautifully presents it's themes with care and top-notch technique.  This is a film not to be missed.