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Movie Review: Martha Marcy May Marlene

Elizabeth Olsen and Sarah Paulson in Martha Marcy May Marlene

Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene plays out more like a slow burn horror film than the psychological drama it sets out to be. Instead of building minor scares toward a major climax though, Durkin’s movie fizzles with a unsatisfying ending that leaves more questions than answers.

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Evan Crean: Hello! My name is Evan Crean. By day I work for a marketing agency, but by night, I’m a film critic based in Boston, MA. Since 2009, I have written hundreds of movie reviews and celebrity interviews for Starpulse.com. I have also contributed pieces to NewEnglandFilm.com and to The Independent, as a writer and editor. I maintain an active Letterboxd account too. In addition to publishing short form work, I am a co-author of the book Your ’80s Movie Guide to Better Living, which is available on CreateSpace and Amazon. The book is the first in a series of lighthearted self-help books for film fans, which distills advice from ’80s movies on how to tackle many of life’s challenges. On top of writing, I co-host and edit the weekly film podcast Spoilerpiece Theatre with two other Boston film critics. I’m a founding member and the current treasurer for the Boston Online Film Critics Association as well. This site, Reel Recon.com, is a one-stop-shop where you can find links to all of my past and present work. Have any questions or comments after checking it out? Please feel free to email me (Evan Crean) at: ecrean AT reelrecon DOT COM .

View Comments (4)

  • I’ll admit the ending is kind of ambiguous. After it was over I actually thought the projectionist had forgotten to load a reel of film. I enjoyed the film overall though.

    3 ½ stars sounds like you did too although your review sounds more disappointed than captivated by the film.

    • I felt like it was pretty close to 4 stars for me. The ending really bothered me. I think I would have given it 3.75 if I could, but I had to go one way or the other. Thanks for reading Mark!

  • I agree that there are more questions than answers in this film but it was the persistent mood that had me hooked, an atmosphere of dread that worked well. I thought the lead performance was strong, as it had to be - an enigmatic character who we only learn little pieces of information from.

    Good read as always Evan - it's a film that will undoubtedly divide audiences. For what it's worth, I gave the film 4 stars out of 5 in my review.

    • Thanks for reading Dan. I was also hooked by the mood and atmosphere that Durkin creates. I enjoyed Elizabeth Olsen's performance as well. Sounds like our opinions weren't too far off on this film.

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