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Martha Marcy May Marlene

Name: Martha Marcy May Marlene
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Released: 2011-10-21
Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, Hugh Dancy, John Hawkes, Brady Corbet

2011 | 101 min | Drama, Thriller

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (90% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved Eyes Wide Shut or Mysterious Skin, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood: Tense.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 41 min.
What might put you off: Rated R: expect violence, drug use and sex.
Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

After several years of living with a cult, Martha finally escapes and calls her estranged sister, Lucy, for help. Martha finds herself at the quiet Connecticut home Lucy shares with her new husband, Ted, but the memories of what she experienced in the cult make peace hard to find. As flashbacks continue to torment her, Martha fails to shake a terrible sense of dread, especially in regard to the cult's manipulative leader.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75 on Metacritic
AudiencesSolid
6.6 out of 10
AwardsWeak
1 win and 0 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
Box office & staying powerSolid
$4 million worldwide on a $1 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 181K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Sean Durkin

Elizabeth OlsenMartha
Sarah PaulsonLucy
Hugh DancyTed
John HawkesPatrick
Brady CorbetWatts
Louisa KrauseZoe
Christopher AbbottMax
Maria DizziaKatie
Julia GarnerSarah
Adam David ThompsonBartender