Another Earth (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Anthony L

  
  It was unfortunate that this film was realised at the same time as Melancholia. Both films are melancholy but they are very different films, Melancholia got all the publicity and Another Earth was overlooked. Another Earth is rightly heralded as an Indie triumph. It had big ambitions… More
  It was unfortunate that this film was realised at the same time as Melancholia. Both films are melancholy but they are very different films, Melancholia got all the publicity and Another Earth was overlooked. Another Earth is rightly heralded as an Indie triumph. It had big ambitions and I think all of them have been exceeded. I love the idea and I thought the direction, script and general flow of the film was excellent. Some of the visuals were stunning, layered with scientific narration, they became thought-provoking and quite powerful. I'm all for indie films and I'm all for originality, this film has both in spades. I'm not sure about the final scene but overall, I thought this film was great.

• Mark W

  
  Director Mike Cahill and star Brit Marling make their feature film debuts after their 2004 documentary "Boxers and Ballerinas". Their earlier collaboration focused on the lives of people from different parts of the world. This film has a similar documentary style and… More
  Director Mike Cahill and star Brit Marling make their feature film debuts after their 2004 documentary "Boxers and Ballerinas". Their earlier collaboration focused on the lives of people from different parts of the world. This film has a similar documentary style and explores a similar theme. Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) is a promising student who crashes her car one night, when news breaks that a duplicate Earth has been discovered. A family are killed in the crash but only her and the father John Burroughs (William Mapother) survive. On her release from prison four years later, Rhoda bluffs her way into Burroughsâ(TM) life as a cleaner, with the intention of revealing herself as his family's killer. Meanwhile, a competition is launched to find the first visitor to "Earth 2", where the meeting of your 'other self' is a very real possibility. This film has such an excellent conceit that's so intriguing, that the delivery fails to do it justice. It's slow and tedious. Keeping it as realistic as possible, Cahill's handheld-camera is up close and personal to his characters. It add realism but ultimately fails to entertain. The philosophical questions posed are the closest you'll get to any form of entertainment but these questions are better considered in your own time (read Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave"), rather than watching the tediousness played out onscreen. I normally enjoy speculative drama's but this lost me about half way in, not because it's a noodle-scratcher but because it laboured on the grief and guilt of the main characters, rather than thoroughly exploring the possibilities of our doppelgangers from "Earth 2". I can't really fault director Cahill or the actors. They put in competent shifts but it's the unexplored script that's the problem. To start with such a hypothesis and then allow it to wallow and fritter out, is very discouraging. Granted, the budget isn't high and it rests on it's emotional and metaphysical core but it still falls into a very frustrating lull, from which it never recovers. It's one that would play well alongside the existential films of Lars Von Trier's "Melancholia" or Terrence Malick's "The Tree Of Life" but it's nowhere near in the same league, despite it winning the Sundance Film Festival. Maybe on 'another earth', this film was a masterpiece. On ours though, it's frankly... dull.

• Matthew S

  
  This would have made a great short film. Implausible reality (I expected most of this), implausible characters, and implausible plot distract us from the core of the movie. Its saving grace is the few bits of meditation on our sense of self and the moments that shape our being. This… More
  This would have made a great short film. Implausible reality (I expected most of this), implausible characters, and implausible plot distract us from the core of the movie. Its saving grace is the few bits of meditation on our sense of self and the moments that shape our being. This second earth is a way for our main character to deal with her sense of guilt. If there exists a Rhoda2 who maybe didn't make the same fatal mistake, then Rhoda1 just happens to be the version of her who did. She drew the short straw.

• Sophie B

  
  Such an interesting and engaging story that never drops your attention. Whilst there are several plot holes and you need the ability to suspend your belief slightly, at the end you get such a huge reward and your brain will buzz with questions, wonder and awe. This is a world I would… More
  Such an interesting and engaging story that never drops your attention. Whilst there are several plot holes and you need the ability to suspend your belief slightly, at the end you get such a huge reward and your brain will buzz with questions, wonder and awe. This is a world I would like to live in. The only huge problem I have is that Rhoda seduces John. That made me really dislike the character, as although I understood her wanting to help him and make his life better, that was disgusting behaviour from her.

• Manu G

  
  Is there another you out there? Very good film! I enjoyed it alot and has a nice finesse seasoning style to it that keeps you intrigue the whole time. Excellent script and story. Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) is a high school student who has been recently accepted to MIT. She… More
  Is there another you out there? Very good film! I enjoyed it alot and has a nice finesse seasoning style to it that keeps you intrigue the whole time. Excellent script and story. Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) is a high school student who has been recently accepted to MIT. She celebrates with friends and drives home intoxicated. Listening to a story about an approaching planet that looks just like Earth on the radio, she looks out her car window up to the stars and inadvertly slams her car through a stopped car at an intersection, putting John Burroughs (William Mapother) in a coma and killing his wife and son. Rhoda is a minor, so her identity is not revealed to John. After serving her prison sentence, Rhoda does not go to MIT, but becomes a janitor at a local school, wanting to physically clean things with her hands but not do too much thinking. After cleaning a school for a while and hearing more news stories about the approaching mirror Earth, Rhoda visits John's house after he has recovered, thinking she will apologize for the harm she did to him. He answers the door and she loses her nerve. Instead, she pretends to be a maid offering a free day of cleaning as a marketing tool for Maid'n Haven (a New Haven based maid service). John, who has nearly dropped out of his Yale music faculty position and is now living in a depressed and dirty stupor, agrees to Rhoda's offer. When she finishes, John, who still does not know she is the person who killed his wife and son, asks her to come back next week. Rhoda tells him someone will come, but it may not be her. Rhoda returns to clean and develops a caring relationship with John that eventually becomes more significant and romantic. They like each other and are intelligent and compatible conversationally. Rhoda genuinely wants to be of service to him. Rhoda enters an essay contest sponsored by a millionaire entrepreneur who is offering a civilian space flight to the approaching mirror Earth. Rhoda's essay is selected and she is chosen to be one of the first explorers to travel to the other Earth. Rhoda tells John she has won the space flight, but he asks her not to go. However, when she tells him that she was the one who killed his wife and son, he forces her out of his house. Rhoda hears in a telecast the citizens of the mirror Earth were identical to those on her Earth in every way until the moment they learned of the other's existence. From that point on, the identical people on the different Earths probably began to deviate in small ways, changing their actions. Rhoda hopes her identical self on the other Earth did not make the mistakes she made on the night of the accident. Rhoda returns to John and gives him the ticket to the other Earth, telling him enough information to give him a small hope that his wife and son might be alive on that planet. John accepts the gift and becomes one of the first civilian space travelers to the other Earth. Months later, Rhoda approaches her back door and sees her twin from the other Earth standing in front of her.

• Directors C

  
  Another Earth isn't typical science fiction but a film that was made to mean something. It's by no means as solid as it wants to be though because the first time director's great intentions to get his meaningful message across is unfortunately, most of what he focuses… More
  Another Earth isn't typical science fiction but a film that was made to mean something. It's by no means as solid as it wants to be though because the first time director's great intentions to get his meaningful message across is unfortunately, most of what he focuses on. He very much succeeds but it's quick change in tone, visual inconsistentcy and sometimes stale acting is sometimes a problem. I humbly wish it would have taken it's brilliant premise further than it did but it was very interesting and it enjoyably touched upon issues and was a pleasantly unique film to watch.

• Lewis C

  
  Interesting film, but I'm 100% sure that some people will dislike it intensely. Another Earth is a weird movie. But, I liked it. It didn't go completely off the rails into la-la land like a some art house movies tend to do, and it stayed on the right side of the line between… More
  Interesting film, but I'm 100% sure that some people will dislike it intensely. Another Earth is a weird movie. But, I liked it. It didn't go completely off the rails into la-la land like a some art house movies tend to do, and it stayed on the right side of the line between artsy and absurd.

• Richard C

  
  I loved this movie. I'm really surprised that this movie only got 63% liked. It was absolutely brilliant. Grade: A

• Sam B

  
  'Another Earth' has a fascinating sci-fi premise on the exterior, which upon viewing reveals a just-as-awe-inducing philosophical premise. And while it doesn't go very far into exploring the former, that philosophical probing makes this film a truly thought-provoking,… More
  'Another Earth' has a fascinating sci-fi premise on the exterior, which upon viewing reveals a just-as-awe-inducing philosophical premise. And while it doesn't go very far into exploring the former, that philosophical probing makes this film a truly thought-provoking, well-crafted look at regret, forgiveness, and facing the unknown.

• c0up  

  
  'Another Earth'. One woman's quest for redemption set against the grand "what-if" scenario of a parallel Earth. I've really grown to love this kind of "passive sci-fi", taking a back seat to a strong character drama between Brit Marling and… More
  'Another Earth'. One woman's quest for redemption set against the grand "what-if" scenario of a parallel Earth. I've really grown to love this kind of "passive sci-fi", taking a back seat to a strong character drama between Brit Marling and William Mapother, who both turn in solid performances. The last stanza, with the revelation of the "broken mirror" theory, propels the film even further, giving credence to the rewarding ending, and pushing the "what-if" scenario beyond the simple "what would you do if you met another you?".

• Everett J

  
  "Another Earth" is a sci-fi drama, light on the sci-fi and heavy on the drama. A woman named Rhoda(Brit Marling) is driving down the road when she hears on the radio that a new planet has been discovered and is visible in the sky. As she looks upward she crashes into… More
  "Another Earth" is a sci-fi drama, light on the sci-fi and heavy on the drama. A woman named Rhoda(Brit Marling) is driving down the road when she hears on the radio that a new planet has been discovered and is visible in the sky. As she looks upward she crashes into another vehicle, killing a woman and child and leaving a man in a coma. Four years later she exits prison and the world is completely enthralled by the sight of a second earth visible in the sky. The man(John,played by William Mapother) has awoke from his coma and is slipping further into an alcoholic depression because of his loss. Rhoda reaches out to him to apologize but loses her nerve and instead forges a relationship with him, as he has no clue to who she really is. In the backdrop of their relationship is this Earth 2 hoovering over everyone. Rhoda enters a contest to win a chance to visit the nearby planet in hopes of finding peace with herself. The image of a second earth in the sky(just as if u looked up at the moon) is both captivating and intriguing. The sci-fi aspects are minimal, plausible, and interesting as hell. This reminded me of an Indy movie that came out a few years ago called "Primer." Both are slow, the sci-fi is based in reality, but they are both very engaging. Director Mike Cahill has crafted a fantastic movie and shows great promise for future films. I also loved the ending. It leaves things open ended, but makes you want more, leaving you in shock and awe. For low budget entertainment this is top notch. Not really a movie for everyone, but definitely worth a watch if your open minded and want something different.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Could we even recognize ourselves, and if we did, would we know ourselves? What would we say to ourselves? What would we learn from ourselves? What would we really like to see if we could stand outside ourselves and look at us?"</i> On the night of the… More
  <i>"Could we even recognize ourselves, and if we did, would we know ourselves? What would we say to ourselves? What would we learn from ourselves? What would we really like to see if we could stand outside ourselves and look at us?"</i> On the night of the discovery of a duplicate planet in the solar system, an ambitious young student and an accomplished composer cross paths in a tragic accident. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> The retrospective publications in 2009 about Rod Serling and Maureen Dowd's recent column about the continuing influence of the Twilight Zone TV series on modern filmmaking themes reminds me why I find Another Earth a quietly devastating film and a worthy candidate in the serious sci-fi canon. The conjunction of Earth 2, our doppelganger as close as the moon, has profound effect on the life of troubled teen, Rhoda (Brit Marling). After spending 4 years in prison for the automobile manslaughter of a family, with its dad, John (William Matopher), in a long coma and just recovering, Rhoda withdraws from the world, taking cleaning jobs that keep her from connection with her fellow human beings. But not totally, for she seeks out John and offers a service to clean his house regularly without his knowing her true identity. Where does Earth 2 fit into this dramatically rich context, you ask? Rhoda enters an essay contest to fly to the alternate earth, a metaphor, of course, for beginning life anew or at least living before her life-changing accident. Theory has it that Earth 2 is a mirror image of our earth, and on it live our duplicate selves, so if Rhoda can get there, maybe she can change the past for John. Regardless of the astronomic impossibilities, the second earth is a metaphor for our wish to change things. Mostly that change is not going to happen, try as we might to believe it can. What lasts is the Twilight Zone of ambiguity, those mystical worlds created by Serling to point out that things are not what they seem. This beautifully acted, measured drama is successful showing the lingering effects of events in all lives for a lifetime. Clear it is that no number of parallel worlds can efface the power and lifetime effect of the one we love on now.

• Aaron N

  
  Purdeep: Listen to me. Keep your mind clear and that's it. You will have peace of mind. My dear don't worry. Learn to adjust yourself. On the heels of watching Lars von Trier's Melancholia, I was able to see Another Earth. Apparently I am a sucker for existential… More
  Purdeep: Listen to me. Keep your mind clear and that's it. You will have peace of mind. My dear don't worry. Learn to adjust yourself. On the heels of watching Lars von Trier's Melancholia, I was able to see Another Earth. Apparently I am a sucker for existential sci-fi dramas that revolve around the dilemmas of the main characters as they deal with their own tragedies, along with the presence of another planet coming dangerously close to earth, because as with Melancholia, I really dug this film as well. While there is an intriguing subject in this film that involves the existence of a duplicate world and the chance to communicate with it, most of the sci-fi-ness, like Melancholia, is pushed into the background, as the film moves at a deliberate pace and deals with the drama surrounding the lead characters. As the first feature film from director Mike Cahill, I found Another Earth to be quite well acted and assuredly made; but the notion of thinking what my double would do, alone, managed to keep me involved with the film. read more at thecodeiszeek.com

• Crash E

  
  inspiring and touching plot, it has so many questions and none of them were answered.

• Liam G

  
  When I heard about ''Another Earth'', I thought that it could be this year's ''Moon'' or ''Monsters''. It looked like a real human story with an intriguing sci-fi twist to it. What the two films have that… More
  When I heard about ''Another Earth'', I thought that it could be this year's ''Moon'' or ''Monsters''. It looked like a real human story with an intriguing sci-fi twist to it. What the two films have that ''Another Earth'' does not includes strong acting, honest emotion, relatable characters and a gripping narrative. ''Another Earth'' proves dull, uninteresting and meanders a lot of the time. Brit Marling just isn't able to carry the film on her own and weak dialogue and characters unfortunately make ''Another Earth'' a rather mediocre indie film.

• Jason S

  
  I loved that this little indie film was able to make a really cool and heartfelt sci fi movie without having to have a massive budget. It's a great story with some really great performances. As a filmmaker this is the type of film I would like to make. It's strong on story… More
  I loved that this little indie film was able to make a really cool and heartfelt sci fi movie without having to have a massive budget. It's a great story with some really great performances. As a filmmaker this is the type of film I would like to make. It's strong on story and visuals and tells a story that is important.

• Steven C

  
  Mike Cahill's "Another Earth" was one of the most emotionally powerful films I have ever seen. It's intriguing because the film has not a single scene of outward displays of emotion. The emotion is communicated to the audience through simple character action. This… More
  Mike Cahill's "Another Earth" was one of the most emotionally powerful films I have ever seen. It's intriguing because the film has not a single scene of outward displays of emotion. The emotion is communicated to the audience through simple character action. This makes the film ultra suspenseful, bordering on thriller territory. You simply never know what will happen or how the characters will react to any given situation. This is all heightened by the science-fiction aspect of the story. The metaphysical aspects are a great support for this tiny little redemption drama. The sci-fi acts as a bed with which the drama can be supported, making it all the more resonant. The performances by Brit Marling and William Mapother extraordinary. Marling, whom has rarely acted before, gives a stunning, gut wrenching performance. And like I said, it's all delivered without scenes of grand melodrama. What you get with "Another Earth" is an incredibly complex emotional drama and a fascinating exploration of metaphysics and the human spirit. The ending scene is mindblowing if given the proper analysis. This is an incredible film and one of, if not, my favorite film from 2011. Note: Please don't get wrapped up in the 'realism' of the science-fiction. You will be setting yourself up for failure. The duplicate earth is just meant to be a metaphor. Besides, this is about metaphysics, THEORETICAL metaphysics. It's not like they are claiming any of this to be true... it's just interesting ideas. After all, it's FICTION.

• Mark H

  
  A contemplation on the mistakes we make and how we pay for those transgressions. The most affecting moments involve young adult Rhoda and her relationship to the stranger, a husband and father, whose existence is forever changed by her. John Burroughs is a broken shell of a man and… More
  A contemplation on the mistakes we make and how we pay for those transgressions. The most affecting moments involve young adult Rhoda and her relationship to the stranger, a husband and father, whose existence is forever changed by her. John Burroughs is a broken shell of a man and Rhoda's remorse compels her to visit him without revealing who she is. You see as a minor, her true identity was shielded from the public and him. Her effort to make amends is highlighted by many quietly acted intimate conversations. The pace is extremely deliberate, but actress Brit Marling gives a most impressive performance. Beautiful, likable and natural, she has all the qualities of a star. Marling furthermore co-wrote and co-produced the feature with her college friend, Mike Cahill who directs. Her interaction with actor William Mapother as a renowned composer who suffers the tragedy, are very touching. They have genuine chemistry, despite the fact that Mapother's creepiness is better suited to villainous parts. It's hard to get past the notion that this is just a redemptive fable much like hundreds of others. The pacing is so lethargic, the action comes off as rather dreary. The events are dark and somber in tone. At times the drama becomes so understated that the plot feels skeletal. Although I'll admit the bare aesthetic does support the story's stripped down, confessional nature. What you're honestly left with is a poignant tale of how one woman faces her earthly sins. However, the ending manages to address the narrative's sci-fi aspect and it cleverly concludes the film on a high note.

• Tracy K

  
  A sad, dreamy, rather ethereal movie about pain and grief and forgiveness and redemption. Oh, yeah, and there's some stuff about a duplicate Earth, but don't let that fool you into thinking that this is standard sci-fi - the otherworldly plotline serves primarily as a quirky… More
  A sad, dreamy, rather ethereal movie about pain and grief and forgiveness and redemption. Oh, yeah, and there's some stuff about a duplicate Earth, but don't let that fool you into thinking that this is standard sci-fi - the otherworldly plotline serves primarily as a quirky metaphor for the second chances in life that we all yearn for. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it's poignant, moving and thoughtful.

• Corey W

  
  Another Earth is a deep exploration of both life and science. The film is a dry drama but with so much taste that only your view on the film can make it either a masterpiece or a simple movie. If you use your brain from the very beginning, try and get a sense out of the characters,… More
  Another Earth is a deep exploration of both life and science. The film is a dry drama but with so much taste that only your view on the film can make it either a masterpiece or a simple movie. If you use your brain from the very beginning, try and get a sense out of the characters, and even try to understand the science and laws behind the picture, you'll end up loving this film to a pulp. If you want to believe its boring, not really walk into this with an open-mind, and focus your mind on other topics then this probably isn't a movie for you. This is a movie that may seem like a pointless drama that doesn't at all focus enough on this "other" Earth, but if you pay attention and look deep enough into the film, its actually all about it. The concept of Another Earth is not only an interesting one, but a beautiful one as well. Without giving any spoilers, the mystery behind "Earth 2" and watching it all unravel throughout the film is beyond perfect entertainment, even if the film does take its time getting their. It's a concept that doesn't take too much thought to understand right away, but as the film progresses it does become something that takes a lot more thinking and brainpower. It might not be as great as last year's Inception, or smart for that matter, but this is definitely the first film of 2011 that takes your brain and allows you to theorize everything in the end. A film with a twist that allows you to place your own theories in order are always the best in my opinion and Another Earth certainly does just that! On the night of the discovery of another planet, which turns out to be a duplicate of planet Earth, a young student going into MIT and a very accomplished music composer cross paths in a tragic car accident that finds his family killed, and her in jail for drunk driving. Four years later, Rhoda Williams returns home where she takes a new job in cleaning. No matter how smart or intelligent she is, she doesn't want to live happy anymore and instead would rather drown herself in guilt. Taking her bravery, she decides to knock on John Burroughs door (the man who survived the accident, but lost his family) to apologize for the horrible accident she's caused and pain and suffering she's put on him. Loosing her courage at last minute, other things occur where Rhoda instantly becomes a house-cleaner for John. How close can she get to this man before she reveals she is the one who caused the death of family? The story here is intense with drama, but also very deep, and sometimes touching. Your probably wondering to yourself: what does any of this have to do with another Earth taking place in the stars? Using your brain to piece everything together, the strange Earth in the sky has everything to do with the story, and you'll end up seeing that. The movie is thought-provoking, dashing, and pretty clever when it comes to tying this dramatic tale of a woman filled with hate and a man with nothing left to what seems to be a scientific tale of a duplicate planet. Brit Marling gives a wonderful performance as Rhoda and does her part in making the audience feel bad for her, even though you shouldn't. Who steals the show though is William Mapother in the role of a composer, who you automatically feel bad for and instantly care about. You may remember William Mapother in ABC'S Lost as Ethan ("Wait, who's IS Ethan?!"). Seeing him in a full-length picture was quite a surprise and what was a bigger surprise was how well done he did in the role. He isn't exactly Oscar-worthy, but he was close enough where he had me thinking of all the other actors this year who may have done better in different performances. Marling and Mapother both give brilliant performances and their chemistry is what keeps you holding on to the drama the film hands over. Mike Cahill's first feature-film since 2004, where he made his directorial debut with a doc*mentary known as Boxers and Ballerinas. Also writing the film Another Earth, a lot of props can go to Cahill for creating such a piece that remains so fresh, unique, and incredibly enjoyable from start to finish. The dialogue is there and keeps the film at such a valid pace. Some scenes can be incredibly intense while others are just simply beautiful. The direction and cinematography are grasping and incredibly breathtaking as well. Mike Cahill does a great job taking us off planet Earth throughout this entire movie, even though the entire picture takes place on Earth 1. The shots are unique, especially ones of Rhoda walking in slow-motion with Earth 2 appearing atop the clouds. Mike Cahill has crafted some beautiful, out-of-this-Earth (only to another) direction.

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