DVD Review: ‘Another Earth’ Is Science Fiction at Its Best
Have you ever wondered about an alternate reality? About how things would have turned out if you had done something different along the way. Would you suffer the same fate, the same misfortune? In the haunting Sundance hit Another Earth, these questions are pondered, in wondering but also terrifying ways.
The story opens up on Rhoda (Brit Marling), a bright high-school senior celebrating her acceptance to MIT. Inebriated and on her way home from the party, she crashes her car into a minivan traveling the other way, instantly killing the family of a composer named John Burroughs (William Mapother). Ironically, she was distracted by a stunning sight, a mirror image of our own planet had appeared in the night sky.
Four years later, as the world continues to try to grasp the meaning of “Earth 2″ hovering in our sky, Rhoda is released from prison, her bright future all but a faint memory from the past. Destroyed and depressed by what she has done, she attempts to apologize to the survivor of the crash and dreams of going to this other Earth and meeting her twin counterpart. Is she living the same dreadful nightmare as she is? What would it be like to meet yourself?
Don’t be fooled by the science-fiction premise of Mike Cahill’s film. This micro-budget indie ($200K) is essentially a slow-burning redemption story that manages to be simultaneously very small in scope and yet huge in concept. The real story is this relationship between two alienated, broken souls and the movie could easily have done without all the sci-fi elements. Nonetheless, this other Earth adds an unsettling mood of eerie wonder and dread (the fear of doppelgangers) that really sets this film apart. More importantly, it’s a metaphor for the character’s inward journey.
Brit Marling, who also co-wrote and co-produced the film with Cahill, projects sadness and quiet intelligence like few seasoned actors can. For a first-time actress, she gives an impressively heartfelt and natural performance. If you ever wondered what the definition of soulful might be, she might just have captured the essence of that word here. While she was very little-known prior to this movie, I expect to see a lot more of her down the road. And Mapother (Lost) is intense, bringing grief and pain to his dark, wounded character who is still grieving his unbearable loss.
Another Earth poses a lot of questions that will linger with you long after its unsettling final shot. Speaking of which, the film ends on an abrupt note that has left many viewers riled up. I personally loved that the movie concludes on such a key development without any explanation. People are smart and can interpret that encounter for themselves.
There is something about the best science-fiction movies that keep you wondering, not about the laws of physics or the fantasy itself, but about the unexplored depths of the human condition. Another Earth is science-fiction at its best.
B+
Watch the Trailer:
28 Comments
I saw ‘Another Earth’ and I liked it. Amazing scene with a guy playing a saw (The music is on the composer’s website http://www.scottmunsonmusic.com )- how many movies have that?!
Yea it’s very impressive. I didn’t know that was even real!
I see why you compared it to SOLARIS now, Castor! This does indeed have an interesting premise and I’ll certainly give it a look the moment it comes out here.
Hope you like it Tyler
You got me intrigued. Love good, thoughtful sci-fi. I’ve now got this in my Netflix queue. Thanks for the heads-up, Castor.
This has been sitting in my Netflix queue for a while. May have to push it up now.
Let us know what you think Michael and Iba!
Crazy, man. I just watched this movie this afternoon! And I really dug it, too. You’re right on about it being small in scope but huge in concept. Despite having some echoes of some other movies in its story it was still so…..unusual. Which I mean as a high compliment.
And that last shot will just WRECK you.
Wow what a coincidence! I was surprised that it got somewhat mixed reaction (63% Rotten Tomatoes). I really dug the movie, very eerie and memorable in my opinion.
Nice review. Personally I liked the inward mindset so much that this is my personal top film of 2011. Small film. Big idea. What do you do with regret? What would be the question you thought about over and over if another earth suddenly appeared in our sky? That is what this film does so well. It makes you question the big question of your life… what if???? This is a quiet film. No loud explosions. No screaming and yelling. These elements are not new to scifi, and yet the perspective and angle this film takes feels fresh and original. What more can you ask from an Indie film?
Thanks for the review and spot on insight. Oh, and that last shot is priceless; a picture worth a thousand words.
Exactly, it’s a quiet but really thought-provoking movie. Glad you loved the ending too! It’s a wrecking ball worth 30 minutes of exposition.
I could probably write that 30 minutes if I had the time. The look on her face and the expression of the other girl. The clothing alone holds its own story. It is in this twist at the end that science fiction blasts through all other genres to hit the exact target: choices, regret, what to do now.
I really wanted to like this film but it just didn’t work for me. Maybe if a more talented/experienced director made the film, then maybe it could’ve been great.
Did you think it looked too cheaply made? What was the issues you had with it?
I just thought it was way too self important and pretentious, which I expect from these kind of smaller films but didn’t think it would be this bad. I had no issues with how the film looked, I just thought they really needed to fix the screenplay and Cahill tried to hard to make this into a “serious” sci-fi film.
I enjoyed it, but I can see where Ted’s coming from. There really isn’t a whole lot going on, and you have to buy into the premise, which, a la Melancholia, can be a bit difficult at times, but I dug the vibe and the performances and that ending enough to do so. I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say that it’s sci-fi at its best, but it’s thoughtful and provoking and beautiful.
Glad — though surprised – that you dug it so much, Castor.
Surprised myself but I love it when that happens!
I am glad you enjoyed this one matey. I found it moving and stunning. Also I really want to learn to play the SAW now!!
Moving and stunning indeed Scott. Glad we agree on that
Great review Castor! This is one I’ve been meaning to see. I like this kind of understated sci-fi that is powerful in a quiet sort of way. I’ll be renting this for sure!
Awesome. Looking forward to your take on it!
Excellent review, Castor. I agree that this is the best kind of sci-fi, the kind that delves deeply into exploring the human condition and this film does that in a beautiful way.
I hope more people check this film out as it’s certainly one of the hidden gems of 2011.
Yea definitely James! We need to spread the word
Well, I am glad to see that you liked this one. I was pretty skeptical and currently have it in my queue to watch, but it’s not been on my priority list.
I know that after seeing this I will probably be even more ready to see UPSIDE DOWN!
Thanks. Good review!
-T (previously TheScarletSp1der)
Let us know what you think of it when you finally see it.
I wholeheartedly agree with your review their Castor, it is so simple, yet Cahill and Marling make it work so well, the problem I found with the film was that I definitely needed a second viewing to fully appreciate its beauty, but unfortunately when I came round to watching it again my cinema was no longer showing it.
You definitely need a second viewing just to see that final shot one more time!
Glad to see so many people liked this movie. I myself liked it pretty much. But not being very bright, I could not understand the ending properly. Now I’m not asking what the ending signifies, as I intend to find that out myself. But I just want to know how did the two Rhoda from the two earths meet. Can anybody help me?
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