Another Earth

Another Earth is the story of a young girl named Rhoda (Brit Marling) who had a promising career as an astrophysicist cut short because she kills a pregnant woman and her son in a terrible car-accident. Hence, instead of spending her next four years in MIT where she had got an admission, she is holed up in a prison sentenced for DUI.

By the film’s name, it would seem it is a sci-fi film. So where’s the science fiction part in all this? That would be the discovery of Earth Two. Director Mike Cahill has used simple electronic mediums like TV and radio to break events of sci-fi significance. The discovery of an exact duplicate of the earth is heard on an FM channel by Rhoda and intelligent life on it is shown in a beautiful scene when a US scientist finds herself talking to herself.

This immediately brings questions, as to whether there is another you on Earth Two ? Is the other earth the same as ours, with a version of you and me existing? Is your life being mirrored there? Have the choices that you have made in life congruent with your version on Earth Two? What would you do if you meet yourself?

The Earth Two, while physically being impossible is however used in the film as a metaphor - of that of a shot at redemption, a do over, another chance. The sci-fi part is but a window dressing for Rhoda who wants to redeem herself for what she did. She applies for being on the crew to a voyage to Earth Two, in a contest with poignant essay. It says,

“ When early explorers first set out across the west to cross the Atlantic, most people thought that the world was flat. Most people thought if you sailed far enough west, you would drop off the plane into nothing. These vessels sailing out into the unknown, they weren’t carrying noble men, or artists, aristocrats, merchants. They were crewed by people living on the edge of their life. Mad men, orphans, ex-convicts..outcasts like myself. As a felon, i am an unlikely candidate for most things, but perhaps not for this. Perhaps i am the most likely.”

With that sort of a reason, we know that she is bound to win, and that excites the possibility of a whole new, albeit same world.

But meanwhile, she builds an interaction with the man whose family she killed in accident- a college music professor and composer. That relationship is not overwrought with self-pity. She just falls short of letting her know who she is, as she sees him still struggling to get back his life on tracks again. So she lies her way into his life.

Another Earth has no elaborate CGI, being an indie sci-fi but it is a great piece of drama. That said, the another earth is always present in the backdrop, either as a blue dot or as the life sustaining water body in the sky; ever wonderous , increasingly teasing in its lure. The Earth Two shots have a minimalistic beauty about them. Mike Cahill is the cinematographer as well apart from being the co-writer with lead actress Brit Marling who radiates intelligence in her performance apart from being exceptionally photogenic and emotive as the troubled Rhoda Williams.

Another Earth refuses to play by the rules of the genre as it is seen towards the abrupt end of the film. It throws upon us delicious questions and interesting ideas to think about. Watch it , for there are memorable moments that stay with you and for the ending that will surely spark some debate.

Another Earth got a standing ovation and won the Alfred P.Sloan Prize at its Sundance Festival premier earlier this year and is out now on DVD. Hear the soundtrack 'First time I saw Jupiter' below

Written by – Mike Cahill , Brit Marling

Music – Fall on your sword, #Musical saw scene by Scott Munson

Runtime - 92 minutes