Martha Marcy May Marlene

  • 2011


MOVIE IS impressive relentless psychological disturbing riveting
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69 %
90 % Certified Fresh
$ 4 Million
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See Where to Watch Martha Marcy May Marlene
Positive Reviews 128
Negative reviews 11
Average Rating 3.9/5
impressive relentless psychological disturbing riveting

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  • Positive
  • Negative
4.2
It helps that Olsen and Paulson give such strong performances, playing sisters whove never really gotten along, and who have decades of painful memori .. Av Club
4.2
Noel Murray considered this one of the best films at Sundance; its the best Ive seen here as well. Av Club
3.8
Martha Marcy May Marlene leaves a viewer hanging, quite literally, lost in an enveloping fog of mood without resolution.Olsen, meanwhile, definitely m .. EW
4.4
Performances make a great contribution to the films effectiveness. Rogerebert
4.0
This film is quite an astonishing accomplishment.The most stunning thing about MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE is that its the product of a first time direct .. Common Sense Media
4.2
Marked by patient long takes and the uneasy quietude that accompanies Marthas constant disconnect from her surrounding environment, Martha derives muc .. Indie Wire
4.5
Even so, theres something fresh and exciting about T. Sean Durkins film, Martha Marcy May Marlene.Its a seemly ridiculous title that no one can seem t .. We Got This Covered
4.5
Like its scared, damaged, and terribly confused protagonist, Durkins film seems to exist in its own fractured dream state. Austin Chronicle
4.0
Once weve got over the frustration of this promising films abrupt ending, were left with the feeling that you can escape a cult but you cant escape yo .. Time Out
1.9
The Sundance Institute holds American independent cinema in a stranglehold, and Farbers gimps are no longer strategically positioned along a movies tr ..
4.5
Tears of joy arent suitable for the staunchly loyal and suffering women.
4.0
What stands out most in Martha Marcy May Marlene is the supremely assured quality of the filmmaking. Screen Daily
4.5
It doesnt give you musical cues or any kind of flash to tell you how to feel. Collider
4.5
Durkins work here is so on point, the material is handled so well, and the performances are so sharp that when it comes to its ending, that it doesnt .. Collider
4.0
The drama conveys a strong sense of the seductive power of even the most warped community to the emotionally insecure. The Hollywood Reporter
3.5
A psychological thriller at heart but stripped of all the usual Hollywood trappings, Martha Marcy May Marlene unfolds at a leisurely pace that befits ..
4.0
(The films one flaw is that it stretches plausibility in this regard: Its hard to believe that Martha would have totally forgotten what is and isnt ac .. Paste Magazine
4.0
It is Olsens willingness to expose all of Marthas scars some physically brutal, others as painful for their emotional humiliation that carries the day ..
1.3
Yet Olsens gifts cant compensate for a role thats unappealing and too indistinct to be compelling. San Francisco Chronicle
4.0
And in Olsen and Durkin, it marks the arrival of two exciting talents to watch.
4.0
See it for Olsens breakthrough performance and Durkins keen cinematic eye, and be surprised by how a movie this delicate and small can linger. Cinema Blend
4.0
But as the story toggles back and forth between Marcy Mays past and Marthas present, Olsen never wavers. Ny Daily News
4.5
Its a remarkable, truly exciting indie that is a perfect example of the type of film that Sundance is so perfectly designed to showcase. JoBlo
4.5
Olsen delivers one of the best performances of the year as Martha successfully conveying authenticity in a number of bizarre moments of post cult conf .. Screen Rant
3.8
Occasionally, Durkin is guilty of stacking the film with generic thriller elements Ted and Lucy are too complacently bourgeois while the cult is at th .. The Globe And Mail
5.0
Olsen inhabits Marthas broken world completely.And at the movies end a jarring, boldly ambiguous end were in her head, too, not sure what is real, and .. Philly
3.5
MARTHA Marcy May Marlene is an effective indie about cult psychology, but it will probably be remembered as the movie that put Elizabeth Olsen on the .. Philly
4.0
Carefully constructed, Martha Marcy divides its eponymous protagonist (Elizabeth Olsen) into two personae, each associated with one of the movies two .. Village Voice
4.4
Durkins film has a marvelous unease about it that never leaves, even in lighter moments. Rogers Movie Nation
4.4
Martha Marcy May Marlene offers a challenging, emotionally riveting experience, even if the conclusion dangles at the edge of an unresolvable cliffhan .. ReelViews
2.2
Martha is a young woman rapidly unraveling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader. Blu Ray
4.4
Its a fairly pessimistic movie on the surface, but Olsens performance is so subtle that her aching need is apparent, and it draws us in.By the movies .. Combust Ible Celluloid
4.0
The horror aesthetic of B movie producer Val Lewtonthat the unseen is more frightening than the seenis carried to a merciless extreme in this unnervin .. Chicago Reader
3.8
Durkins pacing is methodical, giving a lulling sensation that offsets Marthas anguish, and the ending is ambiguous in specifics but plain in meaning: .. Mark Reviews Movies
4.5
Martha Marcy May Marlene is the type of new American classic Sundance so rarely produces anymore.Its got a creepy, suspenseful build and one of the be ..
1.9
The filmmakers overuse of shaky camerawork and rapid fire editing is exacerbated by the movies distressing lack of actual violence, with the bloodless .. Reel Film Reviews
3.5
Laramie Movie Scope: Martha Marcy May Marlene A Creepy Catskills Cult Haunts Martha by Robert Roten, Film Critic December 4, 2011 This creepy psycholo .. Lariat
3.8
If she keeps this up, twenty years from now the Olsen twins will be footnotes to Elizabeths biography, not the other way around. Eric Ds Nider
4.0
The rest of the cast is equally impressive, in particular Hawkes as the manipulative, Svengali like cult leader. Radio Times
4.4
Its a sensational performance in a gripping psychological thriller, from gifted first time writer director Sean Durkin, that reveals its secrets in th .. Rolling Stone
4.0
And the film is inventively shot and edited to put us right inside her mind. Shadows On The Wall
3.5
It slowly but assuredly packs on the dread and the discomfort in a style that Roman Polanski would admire, resulting in the kind of movie you can feel .. The Wrap
4.0
Hawkes is equally good as the Manson like Patrick, perfectly capturing the sinister combination of seemingly compassionate charm and underlying menace .. View London
2.0
Durkin is a bit too fond of drawn out scenes of ominous anomie, and he doesnt provide enough psychological ballast for Marthas misery. Cs Monitor
4.4
This is the first great performance of what promises to be a career of them. New York Post
4.0
Throughout, the director weaves a mood of menace, all the creepier for its vagueness, marrying the genre of horror thriller to naturalistic drama. Film Journal International ..
3.8
The film has its gimmicky aspects but Olsen is haunting: She grounds the slim premise and makes it worthwhile. Boston
2.5
I do not, however, think this is a bad movieapart from the photography and its in your face indie cred, which has become just as cliched as the worst .. Mountain X
4.0
Its a face both ancient and hyper modern, made for rapture and disillusionment just the ticket for a story of imprisonment as old as a fairy tale, set .. Npr
3.8
Sean Durkins compulsively watchable first film is a psychological thriller camouflaged as an Ingmar Bergman style country house drama. Star Tribune
4.5
But its the rarity of what Martha attempts and succeeds wildly at that makes it so enormously satisfying, if disconcerting.
2.0
The title sounds like a demented worshipper counting her beads, which is perhaps not entirely inaccurate. Guardian
4.0
This is a disquieting and ambiguous movie in a classic US indie style. Guardian
4.5
In Marthas life, anything is bound to happen, and nothing will ever be certain. Cinema Crazed
3.0
If Martha Marcy May Marlene manages to seem more complex and nuanced than it really is, the credit is largely due to Elizabeth Olsen. Slate
4.0
As a moody, atmospheric study of paranoia, however, it is hard to beat and it may well leave you feeling as haunted as Martha. Eye For Film
4.0
Martha Marcy May Marlene is as intriguing and confusing as its title; a splendidly unsettling film whose ambiguous ending is beautifully conceived.
3.0
While Durkin delivers on the ominous, secretive sense of menace, theres no excuse for the ambiguous, cliff hanger ending which serves as an unsatisfyi .. Susang Ranger
3.8
Creepy and serenely suspenseful, Martha Marcy May Marlene is a riveting study in what its like to escape from a physically, psychologically abusive cu .. Observer
4.0
Its a one two punch of understated, often blank faced, indie film distance and a maddening were not talking about whats really going on dissonance. Movies
3.5
Like Haneke, Durkin remarkably, making his first feature specializes not in apocalyptic grandeur but in the creak and the tinkle of the uncanny. New Yorker
4.0
Written and directed by Sean Durkin the picture is suspenseful, memorable, thought provoking and psychologically credible, brilliantly acted all round .. Express
4.4
Olsen (one of the showbiz Olsen kids, grown up) is utilized largely as an object for camera adoration, but not in the usual glamorizing way.Olsen, Haw .. Chicago Tribune
3.5
Though the script isnt as strong as the performances that carry it, Durkin does an excellent job of creating an unnerving feeling of dread out of the .. Bullz-Eye
1.5
Evidently they dont teach that flashbacks are a bad idea at NYU film schoolwhere Durkin attended or at Sundance since exactly half of Durkins story is .. Coles Mithey
4.5
You may be watching what seems like a fairly innocuous dialogue scene without realizing theres an underlying ambient tone that keeps you on edge.
3.1
A character study of sorts, Martha Marcy May Marlene points with its alliterative title to the blurring of self necessary to brainwash. Groucho Reviews
3.5
Rush goes about its business like Hunt and Lauda themselves: briskly and bluntly. Great racing sequences throughout, too. Herald Sun
4.5
Director Sean Durkins debut feature brims with enough quiet tension to make it one of the years most memorable movies. Movie Habit
3.5
This is a very real and very chilling look at cult behavior, and its understandable how this can unnerve parents who worry a lot about their adult chi .. 7M Pictures
4.2
And Marthas unreliable perceptions set the stage for an ambiguous finale thats sure to engender post film discussions. Oregon Live
4.4
Martha Marcy May Marlene is a fascinating triumph of indie filmmaking and a smashing debut for Olsen that simply cannot be ignored. Movies Tv Guide
3.0
Its also so methodically paced with paranoia and dread trumping actual drama that it sometimes borders on wearisome.
5.0
On the face of it, a relatively simple tale, Sean Durkins Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) turns out to be one of the most accomplished debuts of recen .. Cine Vue
3.0
Martha Marcy May Marlene is held back by cool detachment and self conscious restraint from Durkin its a thriller completely lacking in thrills. Digital Spy
4.4
Olsen and Hawkes, who has a beautiful, terrifying musical performance, are especially chilling in a film packed with moments that can be described tha .. Red Eye Chicago
3.5
REVIEW Martha Marcy May Marlene Who: With Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paul son, John Hawkes, Hugh Dancy. Cleve Land
3.1
Without Martha willing to open up about what has happened, the emotional distance between herself and Lucy remains and any hope of moving forward is l .. Dustin Put Man
4.4
Its an astonishing performance, especially in terms of its physicality. Larsen On Film
3.8
Talking and laughing and doing life together.It seems like a peaceful and caring community. Christianity Today
4.0
The haunting film that serves as a coming out party for a startling young talent, Elizabeth Olsen..unsettling and accomplished. Hollywood And Fine
5.0
Durkin, with a directorial maturity far beyond that of a first time helmer, clearly wasnt content to just tell Marthas story.
3.8
First time writer director Sean Durkin has chosen to tell this tale in a fragmented manner. The Film Pie
3.8
The dysfunctional quality of the seemingly safe environment, and particularly the unsympathetic sister, at times feels contrived and heavy handed.But .. Js Online
4.5
CHICAGO In the early years of film and filmmaking, from approximately 1890 through 1930, an astounding 75% of films produced are considered lost, with .. Hollywood Chicago
4.0
The thriller portions of this story are wonderfully, well, thrilling, because the film isnt drowning in endless high tension moments.Durkin chooses to .. Shockya
4.0
With a diegesis mapped along the mental contours of its protagonist, Martha Marcy May Marlene harkens back to Pasolinis notion of the cinema of poetry .. Film Comment
4.0
So the fact that shes turned in a performance of luminous poise and controlled emotion that should have the likes of Keira Knightley, Ellen Page and M .. Sky
4.0
Olsen gives a brittle but fearless performance, if not quite as robust as Rooney Mara in Dragon Tattoo, then certainly its equal in nuance. The Shiz Nit
5.0
An ambiguous, beautiful film blurring the lines between reality, paranoia and fantasy. The Skinny
3.1
What doesnt: The momentum challenged narrative relies on a frustratingly abrupt ending that imparts a feeling that the story is unfinished. No La
4.4
I also put Martha Marcy May Marlene on my Top 10 Movies of 2011 list, but Scene Stealers contributor Trey Hock didnt agree with me about Martha Marcy .. Scene Stealers
4.0
Patricks system of indoctrination and subsumption is marked by its matter of factness and quiet brutality. The Ooh Tray
4.5
The progression of the storytelling is all of a piece with the films naturalistic style. Dvd Talk
4.0
The movies ambiguously chilly conclusion offers no cause for hope. reason
4.0
Neither the thriller the trailer suggests, not the feminine, visual poem the poster suggests, this is a film about loss of self that is absolutely cle .. Film 4
4.5
Martha Marcy May Marlene is a deeply disturbing film about psychological trauma, with some of the finest performances of the year, and a final shot th .. Streaming Quickflix
4.0
Olsen is so good as a person coping with the aftermath of physical and psychological abuse that the movie has made her an overnight sensation. Jam! Movies
4.5
On one level, the film is a horror pic with a disturbing new angle, an elaboration on the social subversion of Michael Hanekes Funny Games films more .. East Bay Express
4.0
And the non ending turns the whole movie into an elaborate tease, too creepy to dismiss, too shallow to justify its ambiguities. Ny Mag
2.0
The psychological thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene boasts a compelling beginning. Review Express
5.0
Its a grim look at the power cults cling to in an effort to enforce its will and beliefs on those they control.Olsen is the youngest of the three Olse .. Cinema Sight
3.0
It is almost enough to disguise what is an ultimately insubstantial if bracing piece of cinema. Fan The Fire Magazine
2.5
Despite the standout acting from Olsen and Hawkes, this movies disturbing violent and sexual content is painful to sit through. Entertainment Spectrum
2.5
But the star here is Olsen.If Hawkes is Manson then Olsen is Linda Kasabian. Media Mikes
3.0
Martha Marcy May Marlene is the vehicle with which the youngest Olsen sister moves out of her famous older twin siblings shadows, and establishes hers .. Theepoch Times
4.4
Olsen and Paulson explore their tender ambivalence, depicting the alienation and bonding of sibling experience with an insight and intimacy not often .. Boston Phoenix
4.0
But its the newness of Mitchells musical accountand Rachel Chavkins gracefully dynamic stagingthat bring this old story to quivering life. New York Time Out
4.5
This movie had me doing that.There is power in the subject, and absolute power in the performances of Olsen and Hawkes. The Scorecard Review
4.0
Whats wrong is shown in flashbacks that rookie writer director Sean Durkin weaves seamlessly throughout the film.Durkins achievement here is as equall .. Washington City Paper
4.5
A tidy and compelling psychological thriller by writer director Sean Durkin that deftly charts one womans shattered psyche. Dark Horizons
4.0
Martha Marcy May Marlene is a mesmerising film experience.Its frightening, harrowing, moving and disturbing. Graffiti With Punctuation
3.8
Decent orchestration in a familiar genre territory that doesnt quite move fully to formula demands. ( Cambridge Day
4.0
Olsen gives a riveting, challenging performance.A taut psychological thriller. Film Festival Today
4.4
One of the ingenious things about Martha Marcy May Marlene is how precisely the film is constructed, constantly drawing you in closer while making you .. Miami
3.5
a model of restraint and cool control, writer/director Sean Durkin and lead actress Elizabeth Olsen eschew easy thrills and familiar movie comforts fo .. The Film Experience
3.0
A long, slow build, where the pressure and apprehension grows and increases steadily throughout, wrapping you in a tight squeezing grip.
4.3
Even if you think your brain is soap proof, Durkin succeeds in washing it just a little bit. Movie Line
3.5
At first glance far more reglar folks than the Maxim readiness of Winters Bones Jennifer Lawrence, Olsen becomes as much a phenomenological as a psych .. Cinema Scope
4.0
Theres a fascinating science fiction idea behind Another Earth, but its largely under explored as the film is really a drama about guilt, forgiveness .. Cinema Autopsy
2.0
The films one device cross cutting very demonstratively between identically rhetorical moments in the commune and the lakeside house is exceedingly li .. Patrick Nabarro
4.5
Writer/director Sean Durkin delivers a debut feature film that is absolutely brilliant. The Popcorn Junkie
2.0
Directed and written by first time feature filmmaker Sean Durkin, Martha is relentless in its unsettled tone, simmering throughout at a feverish level .. Sa Current
4.5
Well she, shes just a picture/Just a picture/Thats all..That refrain is from Marcys Song, a tune by cult favorite 60s folk singer Jackson Frank, and i .. D Cist
4.0
The impressive feature debut of writer director Sean Durkin, Martha Marcy May Marlene is a psychological thriller about a damaged young woman adrift b .. 7 Dvt
4.0
Martha Marcy May Marlene: Elizabeth Olsen (the younger sister of those tabloid twins) launches her film career with a star making tour de force as a M .. Ma Cleans
4.0
With terrific, lucid scenery and a mesmerizing performance from Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene is an ambiguous, yet startling tale of post cult traum .. The Reel Deal
3.8
A horror movie that follows none of the predictable paths of the genre, it offers disturbing psychological drama and nuanced chills rather than outrig .. Rss Feeds Usa Today
3.8
Its tongue twisting title is a tip off that this isnt your usual multiplex fare. Jackson Ville
4.0
If you ever wondered how otherwise intelligent adults could get sucked into following a cult leader, Hawkes as Patrick shows you exactly how it could .. Movie City News
3.8
Durkin eschews the sensationalism so often associated with cults in favor of an intimate, psychological portrayal of the confusion, fear and mistrust .. Sign On Sandiego
4.2
In a world lacking trust, every movement seems a threat, around every corner lurks betrayal. Events Austin 360
4.5
Watching add layer after layer to Martha/Marcy May/Marlene is riveting. Time Of India
5.0
This psychological thriller evidences a wisdom many veteran filmmakers never have.
3.5
I think this psychological thriller is one of the years best films. Windy City Media Group
4.0
But whether all this impressively sustained threatening atmosphere pays off to anyones satisfaction will, I suspect, be the cause of much argument. Electric Sheep Magazine
4.5
Some viewers will find this a frustrating experience, particularly come the ending. Overall, though, this is a well constructed picture by Sean Durkin ..
1.5
An impressive mood piece and promising debut for Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene unfortunately lacks the substance to go with its beguiling look and f .. Charleston City Paper
3.5
If more than several hours pass without your comment being approved, it has likely been blocked for some reason, so please feel free to try posting ag .. Ebert Presents
4.0
Elizabeth Olsen gives a star making performance in this taut psychological thriller about a woman who escapes from an abusive cult. Canada
3.3
Its not hard to see why Martha Marcy May Marlene was such a huge hit at Sundance, where competence breeds hype and a strong performance becomes synony .. AskMen.com
5.0
Toddler drowning: How to help family tonight at Alliance One dollar of every beer sold tonight at Alliance Brewing Co. will go to support the family o .. Knox Ville



See Where to Watch Martha Marcy May Marlene