Martha Marcy May Marlene

We know (mostly because Oprah has told us), that cults are creepy, but just how twisted they really are is laid bare in this unsettling film, based on the true story of the friend of writer/director Sean Durkin.

Through the eyes of Martha (Elizabeth Olsen, the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley), we witness the atrocities of cult life. Thankfully, when we meet her, Martha has escaped and, with the help of her sister, Lucy (Sarah Paulson), whom she hasn’t seen in two years, and her brother-in-law Ted (Hugh Dancy), she tries to make the transition back to normal life.

Needless to say, what went down at the upstate New York compound – think murder, group sex, indoctrination and bad guitar playing – aren’t easy memories to shake, nor is the hippie lifestyle to which Martha has become accustomed. It’s a tough pill for outsiders (viewers and Martha’s family included) to swallow, and pussyfooting around what happened eventually flies out the window to be replaced by frustration – why can’t this girl embrace her freedom?

Props to Elizabeth for the skilful way she brings the downright damaged Martha to life. If this is what she can deliver in her first screen role, we can’t wait to see what’s to come!