Yesterday, girls, I went to see "Martha Marcy May Marlene," a film whose title is so convoluted, it takes awhile before you can remember how to say it. It might as well have been "Charles Nelson Reilly!!!!" Wouldn't it be great, if he had been in this!!!
Having been deceased several years, I think it would have been a miracle!!!!
There are some miracles at work here. The acting is superb. Who would have thought that an Olson girl could act????? (Hard to believe, Elizabeth Olson, the star of the film, is the sister of THOSE Olsons--the twins!!!! At least someone in that family got some talent and intelligence!!!) Said to be partially based on the ordeal of Elizabeth Smart, this is the tale of a young girl's escape from a two year involvement in a cult, and her rocky road back to society. Hence, the film's title; her family calls her "Martha" (which I presume she was christened as), her grandmother's name, we learn, was Marcy, so, in the cult, she is called "Marcy May," and, while hiding out, answering the phone at Sis' home, she refers to herself as "Cousin Marlene"!!!! And it is rocky!!!! Her parents are dead, and her sister (the brilliant Sarah Paulson, who plays our favorite sociopath, Ann Gillette, on 'SVU') is stressed with guilt over not being there for her sister when needed, and trying to hold her marriage together, and start a family.
And the film is downright creepy, as it shifts back and forth from the real world to the cult world, till it is almost impossible to distinguish the two, and tell which is worse!!! But that is before John Hawkes, as Patrick, the leader, shows up. A REAL piece of scum, who preaches back to nature love, and all that crap, sings folk songs like an ersatz Pete Seeger, but makes the boys do all the drudge work, while the girls supply the men with all the sex they want when THEY want it!!! His exploitation of the girls is disgusting, and so is the scene with all the boys one night just taking a stab at it!!!!! If anything, this film truly shows how insidious cults and their leaders are!!!!!
No wonder poor Martha cannot distinguish; there are times, when she mistakes her sister for cult elder Katie, and her brother-in-law for Patrick. Though his behavior is a few short steps away. Not that he exploits Martha, though; he doesn't. But he clearly wants to rule HIS house, and when Martha scorns his ideals, I had to applaud!!!!!
But this is an always unsettling film. The scene where she walks in on her sister and hubby having sex is....creepy!!!!! I am telling you, lambs, I was more disturbed by this film than "Contagion!!!" That film was like a walk in the park, compared to this!!!!!!!!!!!
I will not reveal what the point is where Martha feels she has to leave. Suffice it to say it supports my interpretation for the end, that the cult is coming after her. They have a reason!!!!!!
And there is no let up. even at the end. Things come to a crisis, and it is apparent Martha needs psychological help!!!! So they drive her to a facility--and she is willing!!! But some nut blocks their way in the road, and a car seems to be following them. It is left up to the viewer.....Is it all in Martha's mind?????
Or...is the cult after her!!!!!
I am telling you, darlings, after seeing this film, I had some disturbing dreams last night, and woke up upset. This film gets under the skin, and stays there. But everyone makes it worth watching, with Miss Olson a standout!!!!
Cinderella has finally conquered her Wicked Stepsisters, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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