Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)
83%RT Audience Score: 71%
Awards & Nominations: 22 wins & 74 nominations
Led by a mesmerizing debut performance from Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene is a distinctive, haunting psychological drama
Martha Marcy May Marlene is a film that will leave you feeling like you need a hug and a stiff drink. With a cast of exceptional actors, including Elizabeth Olsen and John Hawkes, this movie takes you on a journey through the mind of a young woman who has escaped a cult. The flashbacks are haunting, and the tension builds until the very end. It’s not a movie for everyone, but if you’re in the mood for a psychological thriller that will make you question everything, then this is the film for you. Just make sure you have that drink ready when the credits roll.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Fox Searchlight
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Livingston Manor, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for disturbing violent and sexual content, nudity and language
Year of Release
2011
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS Datasat
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 41m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 21, 2011 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 21, 2012
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes, Hugh Dancy, Brady Corbet, Christopher Abbott, directed by Sean Durkin, written by Sean Durkin, produced by Josh Mond, Antonio Campos, Chris Maybach, Patrick Cunningham, drama, R-rated, box office gross $3.0M, reviewed by Christy Lemire, Peter Rainer, Violet Lucca, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Jason Wood, Tim Robey, Mike Massie, Tom Meek, Richard Propes, Brent McKnight, Leigh Paatsch, psychological drama, cult, escape, paranoia, memories, flashbacks, manipulative leader, estranged sister, Connecticut, disturbing violent content, disturbing sexual content, language, nudity, Fox Searchlight
Worldwide gross: $4,778,439
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $6,290,805
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,104
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 686,020
US/Canada gross: $2,990,625
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,937,151
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,875
US/Canada opening weekend: $137,651
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $181,217
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,703
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Sarah Paulson – Lucy
John Hawkes – Patrick
Hugh Dancy – Ted
Brady Corbet – Watts
Christopher Abbott – Max
Self – Sean Durkin (Director)
Self – Josh Mond (Producer)
Self – Antonio Campos (Producer)
Self – Chris Maybach (Producer)
Self – Patrick Cunningham (Producer)
Self – Sean Durkin (Writer)
Director(s)
Sean Durkin
Writer(s)
Sean Durkin
Producer(s)
Josh Mond, Antonio Campos, Chris Maybach, Patrick Cunningham
Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes
Awards & Nominations
22 wins & 74 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (211) | Top Critics (62) | Fresh (189) | Rotten (22)
In quiet, intimate ways, it is one of the most startling, haunting films you’ll see all year.
March 18, 2014
Christy Lemire
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
Durkin intersperses the present-day scenes with increasingly revelatory flashbacks from Martha’s two years in the cult.
March 18, 2014 | Rating: B
Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor
TOP CRITIC
With a diegesis mapped along the mental contours of its protagonist, Martha Marcy May Marlene harkens back to Pasolini’s notion of the cinema of poetry–and achieves it beautifully.
June 28, 2013
Violet Lucca
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
MMMM emphasizes the social and economic discrepancies between Martha’s then and now, and alludes to Lucy’s guilt about not being there for her younger sister in the past.
February 18, 2012 | Rating: B+
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Like the ordeals of the central character, the film flickers powerfully in the memory.
February 3, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
Jason Wood
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
A slippery thriller about fugitive states, and not knowing where you belong, or even who you are.
February 3, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The acting is exceptional all around, as is the minimalist score.
November 30, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
John Hawkes is again creepy and compelling here as the iron-handed cult leader, and Elizabeth Olsen gives a breakout turn as the title character – a new recruit with eyes looking back to the outside world.
September 25, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Tom Meek
Cambridge Day
In addition to Olsen’s mesmerizing performance, John Hawkes turns in yet another award-worthy performance as the haunting and unforgettable Patrick.
September 16, 2020 | Rating: 4.0/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
A long, slow build, where the pressure and apprehension grows and increases steadily throughout, wrapping you in a tight squeezing grip.
July 11, 2020 | Rating: B+
Brent McKnight
The Last Thing I See
Not for all tastes, but the haunting power of the unheralded Olsen’s performance is undeniable.
June 17, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
Some viewers will find this a frustrating experience, particularly come the ending. Overall, though, this is a well constructed picture by Sean Durkin and the acting led brilliantly by a new talent in Olsen.
February 13, 2020
Jim Ross
TAKE ONE Magazine…
Plot
A young woman named Martha escapes from a cult and seeks help from her estranged sister, but struggles to find peace as memories of her traumatic experiences continue to haunt her.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Elizabeth Olsen’s “mesmerizing debut performance” in Martha Marcy May Marlene.
Sean-Durkin.jpg
