Martha Marcy May Marlene

Elizabeth Olsen, younger sister of teen idols Mary-Kate and Ashley, stars in this disturbing psychological drama as a damaged, secretive young girl who escapes from a cult. Jumping back and forth in time, the surreal story follows vulnerable Martha, whose various names reflect her splintered identity. First seen as part of an insidious commune in upstate New York, where women are subservient to men, a traumatized Martha ultimately takes refuge with her older sister, Lucy (Sarah Paulson), and architect brother-in-law Ted (Hugh Dancy) at their large, lakeside vacation home in Connecticut. Uncomfortable in the upscale environment, Martha not only has a fragile grip on reality, but also can't discern between what is and isn't appropriate social behavior. And she remains under the influence of the cult's charismatic, manipulative leader, Patrick (John Hawkes), a satanic satyr who dubbed her “Marcy May.” Despite an ambiguous and ultimately unsatisfying cliffhanger ending, writer-director Sean Durkin's contemporary brainwashing drama effectively delivers an ominous sense of menace throughout. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include writer-director Sean Durkin's 2010 related short “Mary Last Seen” (14 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are segments on “The Psyche of a Cult” (5 min.) and “The Story” (4 min.), a “making-of” featurette (3 min.), “A Conversation with the Filmmakers” (3 min.), a “Spotlight on Elizabeth Olsen” (3 min.), and the “Marcy's Song” music video by John Hawkes. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a solid drama.] (S. Granger)