Year:
2013
Director:
Zal Batmanglij
Screenplay: Brit
Marling
Starring: Brit
Marling, Patricia Clarkson, Ellen Page, Alexander Skarsgard
Synopsis is here:
A plethora of movies
appeared over this weekend; with many either enjoyed the sunshine, the sport or
went to one of the more major players. I found myself instead, slinking away to
catch the one Friday performance of “small-time” thriller; The East, playing at
my local Cineplex. This eco-thriller is the latest project from the combination
of writer/actress Brit Marling and director Zal Batmanglij and it shows a
distinct maturity from their last feature The Sound of my Voice.
Where The Sound of
My Voice, only really grasped me with Marlings sensual performance, The East is
a little stronger with its secondary character’s dynamics. With Marling as lead
and stronger actors such as the likes of Ellen Page and Alexander Skarsgard;
the conflicts despite their slightness, still strike harder than the scenes
that took place in Batmanglij’s previous cult thriller. In fact here, while not
perfect, the film indeed feels more rounded.
Much like The Sound
of My voice, The East deals with another individual going undercover to spy on
a marginalised societal group, only to find themselves slowly softening to the plight.
Marling may not give Donnie Brasco nightmares but as the undercover operative
set in; I admired her Clarice Starling-lite resourcefulness. Marling’s range is
impressive, with her straight-laced depiction of Sarah Moss being a 180 from
the enigmatic Maggie from when we saw her previously. However she has stronger performances
surrounding her here, that she can take from, even though the characters may
not be as developed as one may like.
The East is much
about the journey than the characters. Its politics important, yet idealistic. The female characters in it are motivated by their own plights than
by male attraction. Batmanglij and
Marling are good at capturing the small details. As well as the cast clean up
for their “jams” there are lived in moments feel quite true, even when things
around them may not. People have their
Airport books, but The East is an airplane movie; doing enough to get you through
an uninteresting or tough flight and give you and whoever you’re sitting next
to a throwaway apple amount of food for thought.
