I've spent the better part of a day trying to find an angle to introduce you to the insanity of Sound of My Voice. So much happens that there's no easy way to get into it. Suffice it to say that Brit Marling (writer/actor, Another Earth) stars in another mind-bending low budget science fiction feature that hinges on the imperfection of humanity and the role of fate in all human relations. Peter and Lorna infiltrate a growing cult to make a documentary film. The cult centers around Maggie, a beautiful young woman who claims to be from the future. The cult members have to scrub their bodies and wear sanitized clothing provided by Maggie's assistants before they're allowed to visit with the time traveler. Maggie demands total devotion to the cause. Asking a question or raising a concern won't get you kicked out, so long as you accept the response Maggie gives you.
Brit Marling teams up with writer/director Zal Batmanglij (The Recordist, Brit's Marling's debut film) to bring a disturbing vision of science fiction to life. Like Another Earth, Sound of My Voice centers on human relationships. Unlike Another Earth, Sound of My Voice actually has the narrative heft to hold up the weight of all the conceptual content and character development.
The film neatly separates into three acts centered around the three main characters. First, Christopher Denham's Peter gets to define the story. Visiting Maggie's cult takes all of his concentration because he clearly wants to laugh in her face and call her a fraud. He's tense and unwilling to play the part beyond the mandatory codes and conduct to maintain objectivity. Denham adds a believable sense of frustration to the struggle of trying to leave a mark on the world with one big project: his documentary.
The second act is all about Maggie. Whether Brit Marling is on the screen or not, her character overwhelms the story. She indoctrinates the cult members and Peter and Lorna struggle not to be suckered in by her claims. Maggie is a wild and unpredictable force, her physical weakness balanced by a calculating mind that lets her get whatever she wants.
The third act shifts the focus to Lorna. Nicole Vicius draws your eye throughout the film but wisely lets the other players show off. Vicius' carefully crafted performance ushers in all the revelations in the film. She is the only one trusted enough on first sight to actually meet with Maggie's assistants outside of their basement home. Her discomfort is perhaps the greatest source of tension in the film.
Sound of My Voice is a very clever film. Marling and Batmanlij work together very well, balancing her unexpected reframing of sci-fi tropes with his sharp eye for visual storytelling. This is a film that knows a whisper is more mysterious than a scream and a battle of wits is far more devastating than any big action scene could ever be.
Rating: 9/10
It's been a really strong year for indie sci-fi and horror and Sound of My Voice is no exception. It's always worth pointing out that Brit Marling debuted both Sound of My Voice and Another Earth at Sundance in 2011. She has the potential right now to go down in the history books as a master of sci-fi.
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