"Strange and New, Sound of My Voice questions what we believe to be true and we can be convinced is true through a riveting performance by Brit Marling."
Cults are always questionable on the sanity of the creator and followers of it. Peter Aitken (Christopher Denham) is one of those investigative journalists who is trying to prove this certain cult run by supposed time traveller Maggie (Brit Marling). The group is small but Peter along with his partner Lorna Michaelsen (Nicole Vicius) enter the cult sure that these people are crazy for believing this women but as they go through many tests and reveal more of themselves to Maggie even doing what she asks of them including kidnapping a child she believes to be her mother. The two question their believes and this also makes us as a audience question the actual idea of a cult.
The film is weird and strange but you can expect that especially from a movie based mainly in the basement of a house where a strange women claims to be from the future there to save them all from what is going to happen. Many of the tests are exactly what you expect especially when Maggie gives her rousing speeches when she questioned but also when she talks normally to these people who believe almost everything she is saying. Outside of the meeting with Maggie the film falls slow especially scenes with Peter as he teaches class to girls including a special little girl who becomes an important part to bringing down this cult when Maggie claims this girl is her mother.
Christopher Debham as Peter is great especially when he does not say much outside of these cult meetings. Only at one stage in the meeting does he question Maggie causing her to question him and he starts to reveal information that you would believe is him being wrapped up in the universe of the cult. He is great in that scene and his performance overall is very natural. Brit Marling (who also co-wrote the script) plays Maggie and she is really the best thing about the film because from her first appearance to her final departure she just lights the screen with joy but she can also be nasty when she needs to be. As the cult leader Brit plays her more quiet saying her many speech's and when she is questioned she has complete control she can get someone kicked out of the group because she wanted to. Marling continues to impress making her one to always watch for.
The film overall is great but mainly due to the cult meetings which just are so well set and written you feel as if you are in one of the meetings. Outside of these scenes the film is just fine but I do not feel for any of those but they are small and we go quick back to the cult meetings.
MOVIE GRADE: B- (MVP: Brit Marling)
Cults are always questionable on the sanity of the creator and followers of it. Peter Aitken (Christopher Denham) is one of those investigative journalists who is trying to prove this certain cult run by supposed time traveller Maggie (Brit Marling). The group is small but Peter along with his partner Lorna Michaelsen (Nicole Vicius) enter the cult sure that these people are crazy for believing this women but as they go through many tests and reveal more of themselves to Maggie even doing what she asks of them including kidnapping a child she believes to be her mother. The two question their believes and this also makes us as a audience question the actual idea of a cult.
The film is weird and strange but you can expect that especially from a movie based mainly in the basement of a house where a strange women claims to be from the future there to save them all from what is going to happen. Many of the tests are exactly what you expect especially when Maggie gives her rousing speeches when she questioned but also when she talks normally to these people who believe almost everything she is saying. Outside of the meeting with Maggie the film falls slow especially scenes with Peter as he teaches class to girls including a special little girl who becomes an important part to bringing down this cult when Maggie claims this girl is her mother.
Christopher Debham as Peter is great especially when he does not say much outside of these cult meetings. Only at one stage in the meeting does he question Maggie causing her to question him and he starts to reveal information that you would believe is him being wrapped up in the universe of the cult. He is great in that scene and his performance overall is very natural. Brit Marling (who also co-wrote the script) plays Maggie and she is really the best thing about the film because from her first appearance to her final departure she just lights the screen with joy but she can also be nasty when she needs to be. As the cult leader Brit plays her more quiet saying her many speech's and when she is questioned she has complete control she can get someone kicked out of the group because she wanted to. Marling continues to impress making her one to always watch for.
The film overall is great but mainly due to the cult meetings which just are so well set and written you feel as if you are in one of the meetings. Outside of these scenes the film is just fine but I do not feel for any of those but they are small and we go quick back to the cult meetings.
MOVIE GRADE: B- (MVP: Brit Marling)