Plot
An operative for an elite private intelligence firm finds her priorities changing dramatically after she is tasked with infiltrating an anarchist group known for executing covert attacks upon major corporations.
Release Year: 2013
Rating: 7.4/10 (784 voted)
Director:Zal Batmanglij
Storyline
A successful operative for an elite private intelligence firm is tasked with infiltrating an anarchist group known for executing covert attacks upon major corporations. However, she finds her priorities changing as she befriends the members and begins to develop romantic feelings for its charismatic leader.
An outstanding addition to Brit Marling's repertoire
Rating: 9/10
Since 2011's Another Earth landed at Sundance and nabbed the Special
Jury Prize, Brit Marling has quickly cemented herself as one of the
most exciting and challenging new talents. When she feels a genre
hasn't been explored to its full potential, she takes it further. When
she notices women her age are typecast in boring roles, she writes her
own. She's a visionary filmmaker with something to say and the talent
and ambition to make sure she's heard - her second collaboration with
director and co- writer Zal Batmanglij, The East, is no exception, and
is perhaps the peak of her already illustrious career so far.
The film follows Jane Owen (Marling), an undercover security agent, as
she leaves behind her doting boyfriend (Jason Ritter) to infiltrate an
eco-terrorist group known as The East, who have publicly targeted
massive corporations for their covered-up crimes against humans and
nature. In between reports to her icy, amoral boss (Patricia Clarkson),
Jane slowly grows fascinated with the group, its morals and goals, and
its core (Alexander Skarsgard, Ellen Page, Shiloh Fernandez, Toby
Kebbell), observing with a mix of horror and infatuation as they
execute their violent "jams" on the corporations' key members.
The East will inevitably draw comparisons to Sean Durkin's Martha Marcy
May Marlene because of the subject matter and its ingenue leading
lady.The East is not as much of a psychological profile, but there are
interesting similarities - like Durkin, Batmanglij and Marling never
really villainize or condemn their subects; instead, they make a point
of showing the East's appeal. We, the audience, begin to understand why
these troubled young people would find solace and purpose in what is
essentially a band of guerrilla terrorists, and, in turn, why Jane is
so hypnotized by them. It makes for an uncomfortably provocative watch:
as we learn more about the characters, their backgrounds, and the
corporations' crimes (which are based in fact), it's hard to determine
who the "bad guys" are. I saw the film at a festival where Batmanglij
gave a short Q&A after and he revealed that he, Marling, and Page had
lived with similar groups (without the terrorism) before and were
sympathetic with the East's cause, if not their methods. The sympathy
shows in the writing and most of the time that's a good thing, but
there are times when it gets closer to bias and muddies otherwise
brilliant storytelling - but these are blips in the overall outstanding
product.
Marling is, as always, enigmatic and hypnotizing, but she is an
observer and lets the other characters do the talking; it takes highly
skilled actors to command empathy for villains and the cast doesn't
disappoint. Alexander Skarsgard is incredibly charismatic and
persuasive, and he fills in the blanks admirably whenever his
development is cut short. Patricia Clarkson surprises in an unusual
role for her - she hints that her character might be more evil than any
of the terrorists she is hunting. Jason Ritter and Hillary Baack are
affecting in their small roles, and Julia Ormond dominates her five
minutes of screen time - her last scene is perhaps the most haunting in
the film. Ellen Page gives a career-best performances and reminds us
that she's a force to be reckoned with if only she were given the
chance to show off more often. She commands the screen with
intimidating animosity from the second she walks on screen and has some
genuinely heartbreaking moments later on.
In spite of occasional misfires, the screenplay is exceptional
especially in its efficiency: there is so much going on that there
isn't much time to devote to individual characters or relationships -
Marling and Ritter's suffers the most - but Marling and Batmanglij make
every second count as each line is weighted with enough subtext to tell
us the stories implicitly and thoroughly nevertheless. The major
characters are very well-drawn; even though we only get glimpses into
Skarsgard, Page and Kebbell's pasts, we feel we know them inside and
out. The film moves along at a fluid, adrenaline-pumping pace and the
tension is genuine and organic rather than forced - the audience's
investment in the story grows from affection for the characters and
connection with their ideals rather than cheap editing tricks,
manipulative music and stylized lighting or sound. Music is used so
sparsely that when The National's "About Today" plays over a silent
montage of Marling's character breaking down, its emotional weight
surprises and stuns. The ending is comparatively underwhelming, but the
overall package is one of the best, most provocative thrillers in years
and firmly establishes Batmanglij and Marling as a sensational and
important pairing.
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