User Reviews

I went to the cinema on the spur of the moment, I had a couple of hours to kill. I scanned the billboard for anything that might seem vaguely interesting - "Another Earth" sounded science fiction-y so I bought my ticket and went in.

It's important I explain this for two reasons: first because I saw this movie "tabula rasa", having not seen trailers, read reviews or having any idea what it was about. Secondly it became evident from the bad- tempered muttering in the back I wasn't the only one to have done this.

At first I struggled with the concept, but I kept an open mind and a very different movie to the one I thought I would see developed, and was actually quite well done. After about 20 minutes I was ready to get up and leave, but giving it time paid back dividends, by the last half-hour I had become too involved to consider leaving.

The story is a slow burner that grips you incrementally, and while the occasionally grainy or out of focus shots give you the strong impression this was made on a shoestring, that is no reason to hold anything against it. Having seen the high budget yawn-fest "Transformers" I can actually say that given the current state of big budget science fiction this is a refreshing, if a bit left-field approach to the genre.

Evidently my companion viewers in the cinema, a small group of guys, were not getting as much out of the deeply troubled love story that forms the basis of the plot, and they made their discontent very audible to my irritation.

In brief, not a film for everyone, but if you're in the mood for an introspective slow-burner and you've got the patience for it, this film will prove a rewarding experience

Wow. This is one of those thought-provoking films that will stay with you long after it's over.

It was impeccably co-written by Brit Marling - who's also the lead, and co-written and decently directed by Mike Cahill, in his first full length feature film. The fact a new filmmaker took this vision and gave us this beautiful independent little gem - on a 100k budget, is incredible. This is better than some films I've seen lately put together by seasoned filmmakers.

It's not your typical sci-fi, but it will spark the brain and move your soul. It's a muted story of atonement and forgiveness, in a quietly moving parable of redemption from the choices we make. The ending was perfection, as it answers that question you'll have, and leaves something extra for the imagination. The cinematography was excellent, and the score absolutely fitting and amazing. Casting and performances were spot on.

My only issue was Cahill's annoying and pointless fast zoom-ins, and the unnecessarily slow pacing, that made the normally pleasant 92 min runtime feel much longer. But nevertheless, for a new filmmaker on a limited independent budget, this was a gem to watch. It's a well deserving 8/10 from me.

Greetings again from the darkness. An award winning film at Sundance, this one seems to carry the same polarizing effect that "Tree of Life" does. The reviews and comments have been discordant and contentious. After sitting through a Q&A with Mike Cahill (co-writer, director) and Brit Marling (co-writer, star) I am guessing they are taking great pride in the love/hate responses. Their film was designed to take you deep ... make you think and self-analyze. This is not a fluffy Owen Wilson rom-com. Explaining what it is, well, that's a challenge.

The story begins with Rhoda (Brit Marling) out for a night of partying. We learn she has been accepted to M.I.T. and that she is quite the space and astronomy lover. Her very poor decision to drive home after drinking results in a horrific accident that changes her life and that of a young family. At the same time, scientists discover "another Earth" has been hiding on the other side of the sun. Flash forward four years as Rhoda is released from prison.

She is a broken spirit whose bright future has been dashed. She tracks down the man who survived the crash she caused and has every intention of apologizing. Instead, she cleans his house. She finds John (William Mapother) has dropped out of society and found numbness in the bottle.

I won't say more about the story because it is really something to watch unfold. What I will say is that I found the advertisements to be somewhat misleading. This is not a sci-fi film per se. Sure the second earth brings about numerous questions concerning the "other" us. What would we say? How would we react? Have I done better there than here? But that is actually an underlying element to this story ... always present in our thoughts and those of Rhoda. Instead, this film is a psychological drama. And a dark one at that.

You will recognize William Mapother (The Grudge, Lost), who plays John. He has a regular guy look to him and stretches well from happiness to depression to, once again, showing a spark. Brit Marling is one you don't know, but will soon enough. She is an amazing presence on screen and avoids the Hollywood acting crutches. She plays Rhoda as the damaged, confused creature she is in the story. Very well done.

A couple of other interesting notes include Kumar Pallana (The Royal Tenenbaums)as Purdeep. With minimal screen time, his character provides Rhoda with a lesson she needs. There is also a scene where John plays a saw as a musical instrument. The sound is amazing and the music is actually from Natalia Paruz, who is knows as the "saw lady". Other music in the film is outstanding and courtesy of Fall on Your Sword. Very unique, but a perfect fit for the film.

This is not a commercial movie, but something like a documentary shot with a commercial movie like quality.

The storyline in the IMDb main page describes the premise of this movie, but thats not what this movie is about.

The other planet thing is just like the background music, its there for effect. Other Earth is all about beauty, the attention to detail and the simple yet delicate story.

Its a lot like those many many beautiful Japanese movies (Tokyo Story comes to my mind, though I have to say its not as good as that). Its a beautiful journey, and when its done you lie back and think about its beauty.

This movie is highly recommended if you enjoy simple movies like those.

This is not a sci-fi and even the logic behind the other planet is too far fetched and they don't even hide it, they never go into any scientific details. There is also no action, nor is it a thriller.

Cheers. :-)............

In science fiction, the idea of a "mirror" Earth is an old troupe. From various stories and novels to no less than 2 episodes of the original Star Trek, the "what if" scenario of a Earth just like ours, but yet a little different, is well mined. Nonetheless, director Mike Cahill and his co-screenwriter, Britt Marling, have used this concept as a backdrop to their film Another Earth, which, despite it's title and science fiction underpinnings, is actually a sobering drama about mistakes made and the infinite possibilities of the universe. Heady stuff, to be sure, and while Another Earth is hardly perfect, it eschews what you would normally expect from a film of it's title to deal with very down to Earth matters.

17 year old Rhoda Williams (Marling, engaging in double duty as writer and star), who is fascinated by astronomy, has just been accepted into MIT and has been celebrating at a party with friends. On her way home, drunk and distracted by the news on the radio of a second, Earth like planet that has appeared in the sky, causes an auto accident. In the second car is music professor John Burroughs (William Mapother), his pregnant wife and young son. Both the son and wife are killed in the accident, Burroughs ends up in a coma, and Rhoda spends the next four years in prison. After being released, she asks to be placed in a job that keeps her interaction with people to a minimum, and so ends up as a janitor at a local high school. Wracked with guilt at her part in the accident, she decides to visit Burroughs, who has turned to alcohol in the intervening years since awakening from his coma, but cannot bring herself to reveal the truth to him, and ends up pretending to be from a cleaning service and thus begins helping him put his home, and to some extent, his life back together.

In the time since the evening of the accident, the new planet has drawn closer to our Earth, and it is revealed to be an almost exact duplicate of Earth, with the same continents, and, as revealed on a news broadcast where radio transmission to the planet is attempted, possibly the exact same people. Rhoda, desperate to take hold of all that was lost from her participation in the accident, writes an essay to attempt to join the crew of the first planned expedition to the second Earth, while at the same time, her relationship with Burroughs, who does not know who she is, begins to grow.

Another Earth focuses its attention on Rhoda, who, in a moment of stupidity and selfishness, caused the irrevocable destruction of John Burroughs world as he knew it, and has been consumed by the results of her actions. Another Earth approaches her in a more realistic manner than many other dramas have, showing how that unfortunate mistake has transformed her world. Another Earth delves into her situation, affected by her guilt in her participation in the terrible tragedy and potentially unable to move on with her life. Another Earth delivers much of this often without long bouts of dialogue, relying largely on Marling's performance to deliver the emotional core of this character, and she proves up to the task. Marling unveils Rhoda to us through body language and sobering looks, and we can feel how so much of her was transformed that night. Another Earth doesn't specifically make us feel sorry for her, she accepts her responsibility in the tragedy, but it also does paint a picture of a human who, do to how society treats those who commit acts like this, even if accidental, seems to have fewer options available.

Burroughs, while not ignored, lacks the same degree of development, and we largely view him through Rhoda's gaze. He has crawled inside a bottle to salve his wounds and stayed there. When Rhoda enters his house, she seems to be the first significant human contact Burroughs has had in some time, and he opens up the closed gates of his world to her, first a little, but gradually much more. We can feel his pain and understand his helplessness as he continues on after so much has been taken from him, but he doesn't quite reach the same level of depth as Rhoda, however he is hardly a cipher.

If Another Earth missteps, it comes late in the film, where certain decisions are made that are arguably too manufactured, too melodramatic for this film that seems mostly interested in not working in the standard trumped up events of similar material, and while it certainly doesn't ruin Another Earth, it does seem a bit overdone, where a subtler, more realistic choice might have been better.

Against the story of these two characters, the revelation of the second Earth plays as a backdrop, but at key moments this plot thread delivers interesting material that allows Another Earth to move beyond the standard for a drama of this type. The idea of how this second Earth is similar, but also different, from our own is touched upon, but then becomes a greater piece of the narrative, allowing it to move in somewhat unique directions. Another Earth uses the science fiction conceit of the second Earth as a catalyst for story and character development, not as thin excuse to throw a bunch of special effects on the screen.

Another Earth is a small, somewhat slow piece that deals less in the fantastical nature of it's title and subplot, but more in the isolated world of two people who were changed by one terrible event. With Marling's strong performance and the film's focus on the characters and their coping with a horrible event, Another Earth proves to have it's aim set on a more precise and personal target than you might think.

This film pulled me in on its promise to deliver an interesting enough sci-fi plot. The cover suggested it as a major focus.

Unfortunately, this whole concept just sort of meanders around in the back ground.. literally, shots of 'another earth' in the sky, becoming more of a by-product.

This film, essentially a dramatic piece focusing on the aftermath of a tragedy, is actually good. Sadly, it just isn't what I came for and I felt slightly cheated at the lack of any actual sci-fi alien planet doppelgänger earth action. I'm aware of the concept, and it works as a metaphor - but it felt like the film was pulling in two different directions, marketing as one thing but delivering another.

A sad, tragic, yet beautiful story that takes its time and leaves you thinking, crying, wondering...

Firstly, the directing, the acting, it's all solid as could be. The main actress, Brit, is a severely underrated actress who I feel has so much in her expressions that I'm seriously in astonishment I haven't seen her rise to Oscar level performances in some of the best movies being made these days. What happened to her and why isn't she being cast in like every movie? Anyways, her expression, her ability to act, was just what really carried the movie for me.

Aside from her excellent acting, the story was hard hitting. Every move she made, every decision she made, I could totally see her doing. Yes it's too hard to apologize, so you make up a little lie. Yes you want to make someone's life better. Yes you dream of what could be on the other Earth. It all made so much sense. The time she finally revealed to him who she was... wow... it was such a moment I'll never forget.

And of course, I can't not comment on the amazing science fiction concept. The idea of another Earth popping into existence, and then everything after that being different... going on a different trajectory.. it's kind of a mind blowing idea. What if that happened, how would we react? I think the movie portrayed it somewhat realistically and I could see an Elon Musk type finding people to go on the journey to the planet who might fit into the other Earth like a missing puzzle piece.

The film never goes too far or says anything too loudly. It's all done in this way that keeps you imagining, wondering, what might be...

Anyways, I could totally give this a ten out of ten. Not many films make me tear up but this one did multiple times... that plus the low budget sci-fi and great acting and thought provoking... it all just adds up for me.... But I feel it's more of a nine out of ten. Not quite sure what the slightly missing element is... maybe the two earths would have contacted eachother sooner than four years... maybe that's what bugged me slightly... but alas, it's a small nit pick.

I've seen this movie twice now, and it was more enjoyable on the second watch.

Do I recommend this to everyone? Not really. I just think it's a movie I personally love. That I'd proudly add to my Blu Ray collection. It's not for everyone... the pace is slow, there are few characters, and maybe it's a bit Indie... but I liked all of that personally. The character study and brilliant performance of the worlds most underrated actress who I really wish would have kept going and going into more movies. Anyways, maybe see it if you like Sci-fi thinkers that are slow paced and fine tuned...

Beautiful beautiful story. 9/10.

When I heard the concept of this movie, another earth that suddenly appears, I was inmediatly interested. The concept seemed good and could give place to a great story without the need of great special effects or anything, just a great script. Sadly, the movie tells a story that has been done many times before. It's predictable and the whole concept of "earth 2" is wasted in transforming this movie from "something you have seen many times before" to "something you have seen many times before... with a twist". Not to say that it is a bad movie, but I just felt that the whole Earth 2 concept was wasted on it, it felt more like and add-on than an important central plot for the story.

Keeping this short and simple:

The storyline never feels to go anywhere, the science is lame and the real story summed up in 15 words: It is a story about a car accident and a girl trying to redeem herself.

Personally I was disappointed by it as I was expecting more. If you are a science fiction fan this is probably not the film for you. If you on the other hand like to see people trying to better themselves and turn their life around (inspirational stuff, this is probably more your cup of tea!).

Finally: everyone has a right to their own opinion, I can understand why some people might love this film however it was certainly not for me.

Thanks for reading.

I am a psychiatrist and psychotherapist who can tell a hawk from a handsaw, and there is a wonderful handsaw in this movie. So, I feel qualified to tell you it is safe to see this movie as it is, without worrying about details like gravity. Do not allow unimaginative naysayers to keep you from enjoying this gem. I mean, we all can enjoy vampire and zombie movies, right? Is any movie any better than "Let the Right One In"? I saw this movie last night in Brookline Mass at a Q&A preview, with director, writers, and an actor -- all combined in two lovely people. No one in our sophisticated audience that included a CETI scientist cared enough about the "laws of physics" problems to mention them in the question period. All we cared about were the endearing characters, the music both acoustic and visual, the plot developments, the shocking climaxes, the compelling emotional plausibility.

The movie is not about anything as terrestrial as gravity. In the world of this movie, something has happened to upset some kind of cosmic symmetry, and the other earth has appeared from a parallel universe. I do wish some character or other had dispelled the physics with "I don't know why our orbits are not affected". But, the metaphor works as a way to discuss looking at oneself. It really does not matter. The acting is perfect, the camera-work perfectly beautiful, the plot deeply affecting with wonderful surprises.

First off, I will keep this short and simple, like the story, which I liked. I thought the acting was very good, especially the lead actress, she has a long career ahead of her if she is smart. The story was thoughtful and well handled. Although I knew where the story was going half an hour into it, it was fine. The only negative thing I can say is the photography. I felt like I was watching a film shot by someone who learned cinematography with a handy- cam. I like hand-held photography as long as it doesn't draw attention to itself, which this does, too much so. Every time the cameraman zoomed in closer within the shot it took me out of the moment. And it did it several times. Obviously this was done on purpose, the reason I think is to make it feel more real, and it does. I feel it's real-ly distracting.

How do you get an audience to sympathize with a felon? Well, you cast a great actress and write a great script. 'Another Earth' is a fascinatingly strange sci-fi thriller about a girl who, on the night of a duplicate earth discovery, manages to forever change the life of herself and a composer during a tragic accident. This film asks many things of its audience, which include buying into an obscure and uncomfortable romance, and for the most part it succeeds very well. While it doesn't hit the emotional highs of something like Arrival or Interstellar, on a much smaller level, it challenges the audience's brain, and sometimes that's all you can ask for out of a science fiction film. And given just how creative and unique 'Another Earth' is, I give this film all the credit it deserves.

7.7/10

Marketed as a sci-fi which piqued my interest and I've put off watching it for years. Really it's just a story about the search for redemption and trying to make amends. It's an ok watch as an indie movie, but it's about 1% anything to do with sci-fi.

Hammer your expectations down through the rocks. Here, let me help you. There's 1000's of fellow IMDb'ers who thought the movie sucked horribly. A lot of suckage. It's not that great. It's not sci-fi. If you're thinking of another movie to compare this to, no matter what you pick, this one'll fall terribly short.

To the facts, Brit co-wrote the movie, she's gorgeous. I probably would've given up half-way if it wasn't for the mysteriousness she portrays. That face, gawd! Made on a shoestring budget. Heck, Brit had to do her co-star's make-up in between shots. This is a movie made with passion, and a lot of faith that they'd done good stuff.

Well, let me sorta paint my experience watching 'Another Earth'. Glued to my seat, for an hour and a half, almost as if this was a thriller? I'm serious. Captivated by the gorgeous shots of 'earth 2'. Waiting for the little streams of info being released ever so stringently -- the announcement on the radio as they discover earth 2, and a whole bunch more. I've already mentioned how captivating Brit is.

What? No Sci-fi? There's definitely food for the sci-fi enthusiast. The premise comes from a mixture of new-age string theory of the multiverse kind. The ending'll have you wondering about Einsteinian space-time implications.

The core of the movie is largely philosophical. Forgiveness. Rebirth. etc. Kept me struggling throughout with my emotions about the main character. Past the acting. How much forgiveness can the viewer unleash? And is it justified?

Chill out, leave your expectations at the door. You may not like it. It's slow. It demands your attention, so keep away from the caffeine. You might not feel the same way about Brit though. She's gorgeous. She really is. It's just a well-made passion-filled indie-flick. It's got some gorgeous imagery. The atmosphere, constantly thick, with color and emotion. This review's gone on way too long. Indie flick of the year? Gets my vote. Who cares?

Oh BTW, its possible your friends'll hate you for recommending this. Especially if they're the kind that finds it hard to appreciate photography, artsy stuff maybe, and don't have much patience, you know, generally. So there ya go, one final reason for you to dig this flick. The fact that you like it -- yeah it'll be one of those things you look back on and say 'Hey, I really am different. I appreciate interesting deep stuff. I'm like an artist, philosopher, or something. neat!'. Holy hell. What? Is that really why I...

When I first saw the trailer I was thrilled to watch the movie. I liked it but the end was not satisfying for me.