My
love of scrappy outsiders who break into the American film industry
through the back window has led to me following the films of Brit
Marling probably out of proportion with their actual quality. For those
who don't know, Marling was one of Hollywood's many disregarded
aspiring actresses until she got fed up with the lower rungs and decided
to create opportunities for herself, writing and starring in a series
of indie-budget-friendly sci-fi films (Another Earth, Sound of My Voice) that all have imaginative concepts
and problematic third acts. She's a compelling figure in the
post-Darko Sundance-scape, and this, her latest film, even attracted the
financial backing of Tony and Ridley Scott. But like the rest of her
films, it feels both promising and unfinished: key sections near end are
tin-earred or overplayed—I'm not sure she realizes how silly some of it
is—and she has a habit of throwing in late-movie sex scenes that are
neither necessary nor convincing. I'm still waiting for a really good
movie from her. For the sake of scrappy outsiders everywhere, I'm sure
she has it in her.
2 out of 5 stars.
**********************
The East is currently playing in select theaters and enjoying a long run at that one arthouse in Palo Alto.
No comments:
Post a Comment