‘Sound of My Voice’ is the haunting and engrossing new tale from director/writer Zal Batmanglij. Also penned and starring the extremely talented Brit Marling, who co-wrote and starred in last years sci-fi drama ‘Another Earth’, the drama follows a couple looking to expose a cult whom they happened upon and attempt to infiltrate and experience the goings-on first hand in order to discredit it.
Peter and Lorna are a journalist and his girlfriend who go undercover to try and uncover secrets and lies(?) surrounding new unknown cult leader named Maggie. The movie follows the couple as they integrate themselves into the group lead by Maggie who claims to be from the future. As the story unfolds the largely skeptical Peter soon finds himself becoming uncomfortably immersed into the mysterious world and struggling to sever his increasing emotions and feelings for Maggie from his journalistic tendencies.
The movie itself is an immersive experience, subtle and calmly paced throughout. The investigative duo find themselves deep in the heart of the cult at its secretive location and the audience is right there with them. Merging the ideas of faith, belief, love and time-travel this impressive little movie makes sure everything is beautifully understated leaving you as the viewer to fill in your own interpretations.
‘Sound of My Voice’ persistently ventures back and forth between belief and suspicion as to whether what Maggie is saying and preaching is actually true. Interspersed with prickly tension and uneasy emotional manipulation from all parties the viewing is a rewarding one and surprisingly well acted for a little indie flick especially from the performances of Marling and Christopher Denham who plays Peter.
OVERALL SUMMARY
‘Sound of My Voice’ is a fascinating portrayal of an underground cult and its effects on what seem like the most un-turnable of mindsets. Peppered with seeming persuasion, unexplained happenings and other frustratingly unclear explanations the movie does take a patient viewer on a journey which never truly concludes, but seems fitting to the whole tone and offers a delicate and at least thought provoking, if not, definitive conclusion.
