Movie Review: 'Another Earth' - Opening July 22, 2011

The indie film "Another Earth," which premiered at Sundance 2011, posits the premise of a parallel Earth with another you on it. More importantly, what if you first saw this second Earth in the sky while driving drunk, causing an accident that kills a family. The faint blue mirror of "Earth 2" in the sky is a backdrop hung heavy over Earth's inhabitants with the unknown variables inherent to the idea of hope.

The sci-fi premise of "Another Earth" is also just a faint backdrop to an emotionally gripping narrative. As long as you don't get caught up on the science, the fiction will lure you into the densely packed performances of William Mapother and Brit Marling. So, let's ignore the fact that if a planet sized mass suddenly appeared next to our moon, Newton's Universal Laws of Gravitation would take apocalyptic effect.

Let's also ignore that if this phenomenal event were to happen, humankind would not go about business as usual, as seems to happen in the film. Panic would ring like Big Ben striking Midnight madness in an anxiety ridden populace pre-2012. Though, with the appearance of a second earth, where there is another you making choices, perhaps a quiet sense of awe would whisper possibilities in troubled minds.

Rhoda Williams, played by Brit Marling, swerves off her promising path at MIT when she is imprisoned 4 years for killing the Burroughs family. She was drunk, but it was the sight of Earth 2 in the sky that distracted her into this nightmarish detour. That 4 years pass might explain some of the relative calm humankind seems to embrace in having a mirror image of Earth appear in the sky.

The surviving father, John Burroughs (Mapother) lives emotionally crushed, but Rhoda seeks him out with plans to apologize. Her nerve for forgiveness is lost to overwhelming guilt, so she lies telling John she is from a Maid service offering a free trial. Meanwhile, Rhoda has entered an essay contest to win a trip to Earth 2. Herein comes one of several richly developed metaphors in "Another Earth," as Rhoda helps rebuild his life, while hoping to win a second chance.

With all its sci-fi short comings, "Another Earth" can't be pigeonholed as fantastical drama. It achieves what very few science fiction films can do on a small budget, which according to a Post-production Coordinator at an advanced screening in Denver, was $125,000. Directing his debut, Mike Cahill creates hypnotizing atmosphere through a tonal score and capturing nuances of Earth's naturally moody light. The cinematography balances strikingly mysterious shots of Earth 2, while also honing in on dust particles dancing in rays of sunlight.

It's a powerfully composed film for a directorial debut, with Cahill as both screenwriter and cinematographer. Cahill co-wrote the film with Brit Marling, which creates an undeniable intimacy in scenes bonded by performance, direction and camera. Cahill and Marling attracted William Mapother to the project, but the seasoned actor insisted on further developing his character and the 3 rewrote scenes. This collaborative environment nourishes a harmony that reaches beyond drama and strikes profound notes of humanity.

Mapother is best know for his role on "Lost," and in the film "In the Bedroom," but also for supporting roles alongside his cousin Tom Cruise ("Born on the 4th of July," "Magnolia"). His transformation out of a grieving shell aches around every corner, literally, as he watches Rhoda clean his house. They share subtle, yet emotionally haunting moments, but we're on edge knowing he doesn't realize his angel with a dust rag is the cause of his pain.

Once I got over the scientific detail and accepted the philosophical musing, I found myself entangled in the human relationship. The science had become the MacGuffin, like a mysterious center of gravity between two characters in orbit, balancing forces of love, revenge and forgiveness. "Another Earth" won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at Sundance, ironically for focusing on a science theme and won awards at the Maui Film Festival. It will see a theatrical run in the U.S. on July 22, before expanding into a wider release.

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