Sound of My Voice

One of my favorite actresses/writers in Hollywood right now is Brit Marling. First off, she's beautiful, smart, and didn't rely on a sex tape to bring her fame. Although I certainly wouldnt have any complaints if one leaked featuring a 6'1" inch black male who happens to live in Austin. She graduated from Georgetown with a degree in economics and then moved to Hollywood to give it a shot. She wasn't happy with the roles that were being offered to her so she decided to make her own way by writing her own scripts. Well obviously these ideas were well received because she was able to get her first two movies to premier at Sundance in 2011. Both received good reviews, which is also rare because everyone at Sundance spends most of their time getting hammered, posing for photos, having orgies in hot tubs, oh and then going to see movies. Well at least that's what Entourage tells me. Plus what's the point of being in Hollywood if these things dont really happen at festivals? I mean, these things happen at local fests here all of the time and everyone is poor. Anyway, the first movie that got a wide release was Another Earth. Do yourself a favor and check this out; it is the best sci fi movie I have seen since Moon with Sam Rockwell. Her second release is Sound of My Voice.

I figured that after Martha Marcy May Marlene (great film), I had my fix with movies about cults. But since Brit was involved, there was no way I was missing this film. The setting is LA and it starts off with Peter and Lorna, played excellently by Christopher Denham and Nicole Vicius, trying to infiltrate their way into this cult that is led by Maggie (Marling) who claims to be from the future. The reason they want in, is so they can expose Maggie for the fraud that they believe she is. The movie takes you through the usual initiations and weird customs of most cults and for the first 20 minutes of the movie, its basically Cult 101, as my friend calls it. But then there is this intense moment between Maggie and Peter in front of the group where Maggie, for the first time, puts on display her power of influence and you realize why everyone in the group is mezmerized by her. It's from that moment on that you are locked in and realize that this is not your normal run of the mill indie movie. Peter and Lorna's self perceived sense of mental prowess over the group is weakening and they begin to question, whether or not she is from the future as she claims. And even you as the viewer start to question it, in spite of the numerous signs that she more than likely is a con artist. There is a particularly funny scene where the group asks her to sing a song from the future and its at this time, you are certain that its a con but then yet again, Maggie draws you right back in. And so the movie goes, as in real life with most cults, you find yourself going back and forth trying to convince yourself what is actually true. If she isnt from the future then what exactly is she getting from these cult followers? What's the end game?

Well just when you think the movie will wrap up all nice and neat, they throw you a curve with the final scene and it totally leaves you wondering what really happened in the first 80 minutes. I definitely would suggest going to see this movie and I give it a rating of very FRESH!