A Film Review - Another Earth

Yep, thats right.  You heard it here first.  I'm attempting to do a film review here - my first ever.

So...roll credits.....(oh, there isn't any)

Another Earth

 

What's the film about??

Brit Marling

Well, it's tells of a young brilliant woman called Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) who celebrates being accepted into MIT, and drives home intoxicated, and whilst listening to the story of a newly sighted planet (a mirror image Earth), crashes into a stationery vehicle at an intersection and places the driver, John Burroughs (William Mapother), into a coma and kills his wife and child.

Four years on, she locates John Burroughs's home, with the intent to apologise (and fails) and ends up cleaning for him.  The film also sees her enter a competition to become one of the first to travel to Earth 2.

Tell me more then

Well, the titles, when they roll, instantly scream out 'budget movie' and on further research, this actually happens to be the case being director Mike Cahill's feature film debut.

Willam Mapother

BUT, having said that, the cinematography and film quality belies it's budget status.

However, whilst the acting itself isn't poor, the film fails to let the audience sympathise with either of the two main characters, or indeed the indian cleaner who deafens himself by pouring bleach into his ears.

It appears that the film intends to place the premise of 'What if?' to the viewer.  The main thrust being what would you say to yourself if ever you meet?

This premise (with a few minor ones) seems to detract from the story, or the story from the premise, and the mono pace of the film , together with the editing, doesn't allow either the two leads to show off their acting abilities, nor allow the film's story to flow.

Would you recommend it?

Well, if you have a spare 92 minutes on a rainy day then yes, go for it, but be prepared to be a little disappointed with it at the end as there is no conclusions or definitive ending.

It is intended to be thought provoking but to be truthful, you will comtemplate the film's questions for 5, maybe ten minutes and then it's forgotten.

A shame really, but it't not the worse film made, but then, neither is it the best.

Marks out of ten

Gee, why do I do this to myself???

Phew, well.  To give it a base score, I would say 5 out of 10 and then to look for points to push it in either direction.  Hmmm, I will give it another half point as the films look, and the confidence in the director's approach to let the film meander at it's own pace.

So 5.5 out of 10.  

BUT it's just my view, and this film was awarded Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, for "focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer or mathematician as a major character."

 

Thought for the Day

STUPID = Smart Talented Unique Person In Demand

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