Another Earth

A sad, tragic, yet beautiful story that takes its time and leaves you thinking, crying, wondering...

Firstly, the directing, the acting, it's all solid as could be. The main actress, Brit, is a severely underrated actress who I feel has so much in her expressions that I'm seriously in astonishment I haven't seen her rise to Oscar level performances in some of the best movies being made these days. What happened to her and why isn't she being cast in like every movie? Anyways, her expression, her ability to act, was just what really carried the movie for me.

Aside from her excellent acting, the story was hard hitting. Every move she made, every decision she made, I could totally see her doing. Yes it's too hard to apologize, so you make up a little lie. Yes you want to make someone's life better. Yes you dream of what could be on the other Earth. It all made so much sense. The time she finally revealed to him who she was... wow... it was such a moment I'll never forget.

And of course, I can't not comment on the amazing science fiction concept. The idea of another Earth popping into existence, and then everything after that being different... going on a different trajectory.. it's kind of a mind blowing idea. What if that happened, how would we react? I think the movie portrayed it somewhat realistically and I could see an Elon Musk type finding people to go on the journey to the planet who might fit into the other Earth like a missing puzzle piece.

The film never goes too far or says anything too loudly. It's all done in this way that keeps you imagining, wondering, what might be...

Anyways, I could totally give this a ten out of ten. Not many films make me tear up but this one did multiple times... that plus the low budget sci-fi and great acting and thought provoking... it all just adds up for me.... But I feel it's more of a nine out of ten. Not quite sure what the slightly missing element is... maybe the two earths would have contacted eachother sooner than four years... maybe that's what bugged me slightly... but alas, it's a small nit pick.

I've seen this movie twice now, and it was more enjoyable on the second watch.

Do I recommend this to everyone? Not really. I just think it's a movie I personally love. That I'd proudly add to my Blu Ray collection. It's not for everyone... the pace is slow, there are few characters, and maybe it's a bit Indie... but I liked all of that personally. The character study and brilliant performance of the worlds most underrated actress who I really wish would have kept going and going into more movies. Anyways, maybe see it if you like Sci-fi thinkers that are slow paced and fine tuned...

Beautiful beautiful story. 9/10.

Wow. This is one of those thought-provoking films that will stay with you long after it's over.

It was impeccably co-written by Brit Marling - who's also the lead, and co-written and decently directed by Mike Cahill, in his first full length feature film. The fact a new filmmaker took this vision and gave us this beautiful independent little gem - on a 100k budget, is incredible. This is better than some films I've seen lately put together by seasoned filmmakers.

It's not your typical sci-fi, but it will spark the brain and move your soul. It's a muted story of atonement and forgiveness, in a quietly moving parable of redemption from the choices we make. The ending was perfection, as it answers that question you'll have, and leaves something extra for the imagination. The cinematography was excellent, and the score absolutely fitting and amazing. Casting and performances were spot on.

My only issue was Cahill's annoying and pointless fast zoom-ins, and the unnecessarily slow pacing, that made the normally pleasant 92 min runtime feel much longer. But nevertheless, for a new filmmaker on a limited independent budget, this was a gem to watch. It's a well deserving 8/10 from me.

Mike Cahill's film "Another Earth" is less a sci-fi spectacle and more a deeply introspective drama, exploring profound questions about identity, forgiveness, and the possibility of second chances. While the backdrop of a parallel Earth adds intrigue, the heart of the movie lies in the human story of Rhoda Williams, portrayed with haunting sincerity by Brit Marling.

The narrative kicks off with a devastating tragedy. Rhoda, a brilliant young woman accepted into MIT's astrophysics program, drives drunk after a celebration and causes a fatal accident, killing a mother and a child and leaving the father, John Burroughs, in a coma. This event derails her promising future, plunging her into a life of guilt and isolation. Years later, in an attempt to seek atonement, she approaches Burroughs under the guise of offering cleaning services, unaware that her actions will intertwine their lives in ways neither could anticipate.

The central dynamic between Rhoda and John (played by William Mapother) is emotionally charged, as their relationship slowly evolves from a hesitant connection to something deeper. However, Rhoda's hidden guilt creates a poignant tension, underscoring the fragility of their bond. This intimate drama is what drives the film, making it a compelling character study.

The sci-fi element, represented by the discovery of Earth 2-a parallel planet that might house alternate versions of its inhabitants-serves more as a metaphor than a plot device. It symbolizes the potential for a new beginning, a chance to confront our past and imagine lives free of regret. However, the movie wisely avoids delving into the mechanics of this parallel world, focusing instead on the emotional resonance it holds for its characters.

Visually, "Another Earth" embraces the aesthetics of independent cinema with a modest budget. While the handheld camera work occasionally detracts from the reflective tone, it also adds a raw, unpolished feel that matches the emotional states of the characters. A more polished approach might have enhanced its meditative quality.

For those of us expecting a traditional science fiction experience, "Another Earth" might be disappointing, as it turns out to be a deliberately paced indie drama, which might seem slow or even monotonous.

Greetings again from the darkness. An award winning film at Sundance, this one seems to carry the same polarizing effect that "Tree of Life" does. The reviews and comments have been discordant and contentious. After sitting through a Q&A with Mike Cahill (co-writer, director) and Brit Marling (co-writer, star) I am guessing they are taking great pride in the love/hate responses. Their film was designed to take you deep ... make you think and self-analyze. This is not a fluffy Owen Wilson rom-com. Explaining what it is, well, that's a challenge.

The story begins with Rhoda (Brit Marling) out for a night of partying. We learn she has been accepted to M.I.T. and that she is quite the space and astronomy lover. Her very poor decision to drive home after drinking results in a horrific accident that changes her life and that of a young family. At the same time, scientists discover "another Earth" has been hiding on the other side of the sun. Flash forward four years as Rhoda is released from prison.

She is a broken spirit whose bright future has been dashed. She tracks down the man who survived the crash she caused and has every intention of apologizing. Instead, she cleans his house. She finds John (William Mapother) has dropped out of society and found numbness in the bottle.

I won't say more about the story because it is really something to watch unfold. What I will say is that I found the advertisements to be somewhat misleading. This is not a sci-fi film per se. Sure the second earth brings about numerous questions concerning the "other" us. What would we say? How would we react? Have I done better there than here? But that is actually an underlying element to this story ... always present in our thoughts and those of Rhoda. Instead, this film is a psychological drama. And a dark one at that.

You will recognize William Mapother (The Grudge, Lost), who plays John. He has a regular guy look to him and stretches well from happiness to depression to, once again, showing a spark. Brit Marling is one you don't know, but will soon enough. She is an amazing presence on screen and avoids the Hollywood acting crutches. She plays Rhoda as the damaged, confused creature she is in the story. Very well done.

A couple of other interesting notes include Kumar Pallana (The Royal Tenenbaums)as Purdeep. With minimal screen time, his character provides Rhoda with a lesson she needs. There is also a scene where John plays a saw as a musical instrument. The sound is amazing and the music is actually from Natalia Paruz, who is knows as the "saw lady". Other music in the film is outstanding and courtesy of Fall on Your Sword. Very unique, but a perfect fit for the film.

I went to the cinema on the spur of the moment, I had a couple of hours to kill. I scanned the billboard for anything that might seem vaguely interesting - "Another Earth" sounded science fiction-y so I bought my ticket and went in.

It's important I explain this for two reasons: first because I saw this movie "tabula rasa", having not seen trailers, read reviews or having any idea what it was about. Secondly it became evident from the bad- tempered muttering in the back I wasn't the only one to have done this.

At first I struggled with the concept, but I kept an open mind and a very different movie to the one I thought I would see developed, and was actually quite well done. After about 20 minutes I was ready to get up and leave, but giving it time paid back dividends, by the last half-hour I had become too involved to consider leaving.

The story is a slow burner that grips you incrementally, and while the occasionally grainy or out of focus shots give you the strong impression this was made on a shoestring, that is no reason to hold anything against it. Having seen the high budget yawn-fest "Transformers" I can actually say that given the current state of big budget science fiction this is a refreshing, if a bit left-field approach to the genre.

Evidently my companion viewers in the cinema, a small group of guys, were not getting as much out of the deeply troubled love story that forms the basis of the plot, and they made their discontent very audible to my irritation.

In brief, not a film for everyone, but if you're in the mood for an introspective slow-burner and you've got the patience for it, this film will prove a rewarding experience