Title – Sound of My Voice (2011)

Director – Zal Batmanglij (The East)

Cast – Brit Marling, Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius

Plot – Sound of my Voice delves into the lives of Peter (Denham) and Lorna (Vicius) who are freshly picked to become new members of a cult who are followers of a supposed time traveller from the future Maggie (Marling). Peter is intent on capturing this cult on camera and exposing them as frauds but what begins as a simple idea quickly becomes anything but as Maggie tasks Peter with a mission that could be more important than anything he has yet done in his life.

“Every life is death, and most deaths are suicides. Some are just more gradual than others.”

Review by Eddie on 4/09/2013

Sound Of My Voice joins modern low budget sci-fi thrillers Another Earth and Upstream Colour as a film that shuns its lowly money backing to produce a worthwhile and original piece of contemplative science fiction and offer up a conclusion that will leave as many new questions as it does answers. In a word Voice is imaginative and in another worthwhile.

Written by the film’s star Brit Marling (who is becoming more and more impressive with each outing) along with director Batmanglij Voice offers up a fresh take on the well-worn “cult” thriller and the frequently used time travel device of sci-fi filmmaking. That Voice feels so fresh and captivating is largely due to its minimalist script which offers up so much yet refuses to spoon feed the audience any real insight all the while remaining at a close distance to the viewer so to not alienate them. A feat which is largely due to Marling’s radiant turn as Maggie.

Marling as the girl which could well very be the earth’s saviour or a crazed crack pot is so charismatic it’s not hard to see how no matter who she really is that she can draw a following. It’s a tough role that Marling nails and is ably supported by Denham and Vicius as wannabe documentary maker and fill in teacher Peter and rich girl gone good Lorna respectively.

Voice is a film well worth seeking out as it act’s as not only a head thinking sci-fi but also a nice little thriller. As Peter and Lorna get drawn further and further into the group that are following Maggie it’s hard as a viewer not be drawn in as much as they themselves are. Voice is a very original feat of filmmaking and will be a film that many will like to watch multiple times to have its distinctive charm and spell wash over them once more and hopefully make them want to check out Marling’s and Batmanglij next film together The East like I know I did.

3 and a half apples out of 5