Another Earth

Another Earth is the extremely promising début feature of writer/director Mike Cahill and writer/actress Brit Marling. This is one of those micro-budget, macro-concept indie films that usually wear out their welcome after about 40 minutes of shaky handheld footage, on-the-nose dialogue, and pseudo-poetic observations. Not so this picture. The sci-fi/fantasy premise concerning the miraculous appearance of a second Earth that hangs beautifully in the sky without affecting our Earth’s ecosystem is a strikingly visual disguise behind which lies a strong two-character story about regret and redemption. Cahill and Marling are savvy enough to know that big visual concept pictures are what get noticed in the crowded market of cinema, but simple, character-based dramas are what first-time filmmakers can best handle. The images in the film (and on the poster) of a second Earth hanging in the sky alongside the moon, coupled with Marling’s ingénue-with-a-brain attractiveness, will get people to see this movie. It may disappoint many—especially those hoping for something more sci-fi—but it sure impressed me.

Another Earth was a big hit at Sundance, where Brit Marling made some history by co-writing and starring in two well-received features at the same festival. The other picture, Sound of My Voice, in which she plays the leader of a cult, also has some touches of sci-fi but is basically a human drama that explores the allure of cults.  Of the two films, Another Earth is the stronger and more assured work. Both films have many hallmarks of first-time indie features—the intentionally crude shooting style, the understated performances, the ambiguous nature of the narrative’s conclusions—but Another Earth doesn’t just ask a bunch of questions, it fully explores the themes it presents. This is a movie about guilt and grief, and I’m a sucker for pictures about these topics. No budget is required to examine troubling emotions, just good actors. Playing opposite Marling is William Mapother, best known as the evil ex-husband in Todd Field's In the Bedroom and the mysterious Ethan on the first season of Lost. Mapother has made a small career out of twisting his Germanic facial features into super creepy-looking screen villains who don’t need to say anything to unsettle an audience; here he gets to play a more multilayered human being.

Another Earth, like Your Sister’s Sister and Martha Marcy May Marlene, helps to redeem the uninspired year of 2011 by providing some hope for the future. Chaill and Marling don’t just dip their toes in the subject matter of their movie, they engage with it in ways that go beyond what I would expect from young indie filmmakers their first time out.