Writer: Mike Cahill, Brit Marling
Director: Mike Cahill
Logline: On the night of the discovery of a duplicate Earth in the Solar system, an ambitious young student and an accomplished composer cross paths in a tragic accident. (Source: IMDb) Drama, Sci-fi. 92min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all three tests
Review:
Here's a quick round up of what this movie is all about. Rhoda, a young student celebrates her acceptance to MIT as an aspiring astronomer. The night of her celebration a planet nearly identical to Earth is discovered close by. So close that an intoxicated Rhoda is staring at the sky instead of paying attention to the road. Rhoda crashes into the car of a young family. The movie deals with her yearning to visit and learn about Earth 2, and her ongoing battle to repent for the tragedy she caused. It's a fascinating examination of choices, repercussions, and what someone does when confronted with themselves.
This is difficult movie to sell to someone. It's vaguely sci-fi. It's quite depressing for a long stretch. It's a thinker about philosophy and morality. I won't say the cliche phrase "It's not for everyone" because that implies that because a movie is smart then a huge chunk of people won't be interested. I hope a lot of people are interested in this movie.
Ok, before we go overboard with the applause, it's not the best movie. The first half of the film drags. I'm not a fan of the heavy handed cinematography and overly melodramatic moments that come with many independent movies. There are long chunks were no one even speaks. On occasion it feels low budget, but it's mostly gritty and realistic.
I do really love this movie though. It far more character drama then sci-fi story. In fact the only time I tend to like sci-fi is when used in this context, as a story supporting allegory. Even though the movie is quite melancholy and single-minded, it illustrates a good evolution of character and changes are often shown, not spoken. For me, it works.
Brit Marling is fantastic and part of the reason why this movie works is because she's able to carry it. The image of Rhoda standing ocean side with the second Earth looming overhead as the ever present possibility of a different life beautifully represents the thematic intention of the movie.Portrayal of Women: If this concept was placed in the hands of million dollar leading man, with broader thematic appeal then you might have Tom Cruise or Will Smith starring in the next summer blockbuster. Somehow I think having a female lead this movie gives it a quiet subtlety that might otherwise not have existed.
What's almost more important is Rhoda isn't a cliched character. She's not a character that exists in other movies. Even at the opening of the film, she's a regular high school girl. Getting into college, partying with her friends, smart, passionate, flirtatious. Those are not traits given to women in media without having them be exaggerated to the point of being the singular defining characteristic. She's a woman that isn't usually in movies because she's a regular woman.Sisterhood Moment: I love the way news about the second Earth was presented. Rhoda isn't a special scientist or military expert, she watches the news with her parents. In one news broadcast the US governments attempts to contact the second Earth. It's a haunting scene with genuine guttural reactions from the characters. And a woman was the chosen representative. Go Earth!
IMDb - Another Earth (7.0)
Wikipedia - Another Earth
Rotten Tomatoes - Another Earth (63%)
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