Viewer beware: “Martha Marcy May Marlene” will disturb you. It will have you saying “oh my God” out loud and curled into a little ball come the closing credits. It will have you craving comfort food and hugs.
It is absolutely a movie you should see once.
“Martha Marcy May Marlene” tells two parallel stories of the same woman, born with one name and known as several others during her three years with a cult. In the present, Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) remains mostly mute in a Connecticut summer house, having fled the Catskill Mountains for reasons she won’t disclose to her estranged sister (Sarah Paulson) and uptight brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy). In the past, Martha was a lost soul drawn to a seemingly innocuous communal farm led by charismatic Patrick (John Hawkes), christens her Marcy May and writes her a song. As the memories increase, so does Martha’s paranoia – and she’s still not talking.
Olsen, sister of infamous twins Mary-Kate and Ashley, is spot-on as the title character, who despite her best efforts may be damaged beyond repair. Hawkes’ oily soft voice, even while spouting obvious mind control, is so deceptively soothing it’s easy to see why insecure youth are drawn to him. And Brady Corbet is admirably creepy as a beefed-up drone.
Writer/director Sean Durkin conveys suspense and dread with aplomb, leaving the audience on the edge of their seat while instilling real empathy for not only Martha but the misguided souls in the cult and Martha’s confused family. Again, this movie’s not appropriate for a first date. But it’s well worth the bad dreams.
“Martha Marcy May Marlene” is currently at Landmark Century Centre Cinema (2828 N. Clark).
Full price, matinee or rental? Full price.
