Elizabeth Olsen,
Christopher Abbott,
Brady Corbet,
Hugh Dancy,
Maria Dizzia
... see more
Martha Marcy May Marlene is a powerful psychological thriller starring Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, a young woman rapidly unraveling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult... read more
Directed by: T. Sean Durkin
Release Date: October 21, 2011
DVD Release Date: February 21, 2012
Stats: 1,758 reviews
Your Rating
Flixster Reviews (1,758)
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April 5, 2013
Really impressed with Elizabeth Olsen. Has been great in everything I've seen her in.
I would like to watch this movie again before I review it properly as it is quite complex and I didn't know what it was about initially. Quite compelling viewing about the effects of a cult. -
September 25, 2012
The log line says this film is about attempting to re-integrate a cult survivor into a family, and it is, but I thought that was only one aspect of the plot; almost more interesting was the far-reaching impact of sexual exploitation at a young age, and the way that the film lays ... read more
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September 12, 2012
Complex story that takes a little bit of concentration to realize it's not made like other movies. People who are complaining about there being no ending aren't watching the movie close enough. I have to admit, it didn't hit me right away either. I kept wondering where the name M... read more
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September 5, 2012
Hypnotic, dreamlike and nightmarish dive into a young girl's damaged psyche. Sean Durkin's debut feature is quite impressive and often captivating experience to sit through. It shows us that Durkin is a director with loads of potential and vision.
At times Martha Marcy May Marle... read more -
August 24, 2012
An enthralling story that lingers in the mind long after the end credits have rolled.
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August 13, 2012
Beautifully filmed and pretty well acted too, Elizabeth Olsen being particularly good in the lead role. Unfortunately it lacks real substance. More often than not a film can say so much more by saying very little and in turn it lets the audience decide on certain issues but with ... read more
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July 30, 2012
my wife said that the scenes at the ranch didnt justify martha's later behavior. ive thought a lot about whether or not that's true, but that's the beauty of this film - it makes you think. the acting is wonderful and the imagery intentional. the music is also a plus. overall... read more
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May 22, 2012
Directed (and written) by Sean Durkin, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2011. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, Hugh Dancy and John Hawkes.
Genre: Drama, Thriller.
Question: What happens to you if you were abandoned as a child, end up not having a proper upbringing, and in ... read more -
May 14, 2012
"I am a teacher and a leader."
Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult.REVIEW
Martha (Ols... read more -
May 7, 2012
A thoroughly enthralling psychological thriller that fires on all cylinders. This films creates a tense mood filled with great performances, especially from its lead Elizabeth Olson. Some may moan about the ending, but it doesn't ruin the overall satisfaction of the film. This is... read more
Critic Reviews
A purposely disturbing portrait of a damaged psyche. Full Review
Durkin depicts a horror that some among us actually live, where the search for family leads to something familiar and dangerous. Full Review
Sean Durkin's compulsively watchable first film is a psychological thriller camouflaged as an Ingmar Bergman-style country-house drama. Full Review
Hawkes is, as ever, outstanding. But Olsen is a wonder. Full Review
The horror aesthetic of B-movie producer Val Lewton -- that the unseen is more frightening than the seen -- is carried to a merciless extreme in this unnerving debut feature by writer-director Sean Du... Full Review
Olsen's performance is a triumph of constraint. Full Review
Shot in long, quiet takes of bucolic idylls, "Martha Marcy May Marlene" sneaks up on viewers with a barely perceptible sense of oncoming dread. Full Review
Two long hours of murky photography and slow-motion storytelling, in which the audience is always 10 scenes ahead of the action. Full Review
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