Another Earth

Another Earth sets the momentous event of another planet, identical to our own, looming into view as a backdrop for the personal, introspective tale of a young student and a renowned composer whose lives tragically collide. Distracted by the doppelganger earth as she drives, Rhoda (Marling) careers into John’s (William Mapother) car, killing his pregnant wife and young son. After serving four years, Rhoda seeks out her now-alcoholic victim to apologise but reneges at the last, and instead, masquerading as a cleaner, tries to make his physical and emotional state more bearable as their relationship develops.

Admirable in its ambition to marry big sci-fi ideas and low-scale human drama, Another Earth unfortunately just doesn’t work. The comment on duality, fate and guilt seems trite and lacking nuance; the bloody great metaphor in the sky too broad. Allied with implausible character arcs, Marling and, in particular, Mapother lack the chops to convincingly express the trauma and redemption their characters undergo. This is a shallow rather than touching experience. [Chris Fyvie]