martha marcy may marlene
A cult film about a cult!
'Cults' can be a number of things ? they're one of our favourite bands, and they're also systems of often-oppressive religious veneration. They can also be less sinister pop-culture obsessions, such as the cult of the Olsen sisters, which has dominated the fashion world for the last five years. The just-released preview below broaches the latter two meanings, tracing a relatively unknown Olsen's escape from a religious cult in her upcoming film Martha Marcy May Marlene.
Except for a small role in Mary-Kate and Ashley's How the West Was Fun, 22-year-old Elizabeth Olsen has avoided the spotlight until recently. Martha Marcy May Marlene follows her character as she flees from an upstate New York cult into the arms of her anally-retentive sister ? no reference to either of the actress' real-life sisters ? and attempts to deal with the psychological consequences of the tension between her previous life and her current situation. Also starring Hugh Darcy and Sarah Paulson, the film earned substantial acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival for its non-cliche treatment of the decidedly non-Olsen themes of psychology, philosophy and sexual power dynamics.
We love Mary-Kate and Ashley's quirky fashion choices (and their super-luxe, high-end line The Row) but are happy to concede that, where serious film roles are concerned, one doe-eyed face is often enough.
Words: Hannah Ongley.
