A beautiful and often undervalued aspect of science fiction is its capacity for introspection, for delving deep into the essence of humanity. So many things can be changed — gravity can be turned off, time can become fluid — but the human mind and the human soul are immutable. A man in space is still a man, after all. The emotions still ring true.
The best science fiction is that which uses its otherworldly trappings simply as a vehicle to a deeper and somehow more real humanity, an innate humanness that reveals itself only in extreme conditions.
“Another Earth” accomplishes this beautifully. The pet project of co-writer and star Brit Marling, “Another Earth” approaches its sci-fi elements with minimalism in mind: a second earth, floating in the sky, with its luminous presence more enchanting than its reality.
How and why the mirror planet arrived in the cosmos are unimportant and largely unexplained. What is important, and special and magical, is its effect on those bathed by its aquamarine light, their hopes, ambitions and dreams.
For Rhoda (Marling), the initial effect is a negative one. One night while driving home tipsily from a party, she sees the second earth’s blue light in the night sky and stares, transfixed. Her diverted attention causes her to hit a family of three and a half, killing the pregnant mother and toddler and leaving the father (William Mapother) in a coma.
After four years in jail, Rhoda is released back into the world, ready to begin anew but forever scarred by her unforgivable accident. The discovery that the second earth is populated by the very same people as on the original earth, everyone has a twin, separated by miles of empty space, sends shockwaves across the planet and ignites a hope within Rhoda. Maybe on the other earth she is innocent. Maybe on the other earth she’s happy.
This sci-fi twist is minimal in terms of alterations from a recognizable earth, but it is just “out there” enough to open a wellspring of new and interesting emotions and motivations previously untapped.
It’s certainly a promising premise, and Marling, along with co-writer and director Mike Cahill do well to give it the movie it deserves. The acting, directing and script are all impressive given the low budget and the relative amateurism of the crew, this being only their second feature and first non-documentary.
Some of the cinematography shows the directors greenness, with odd lighting and awkward dissolves, but the flaws are well offset by the breathtaking shots of the mirror planet illuminating the sky, shots that could easily be framed and put in any museum. The tone is a somber one, but it feels genuine, considering the circumstances, and is broken up with enough intermittent levity so as not to become monotonous.
In the end, “Another Earth” succeeds because it holds steadfast to a brilliant premise and is brave enough to hold back, to give just enough: nothing more, nothing less. So many films fall prey to excess, to indulgences both of the audience and of the filmmaker, but Marling and Cahill manage to strike the perfect balance, and I am forever grateful to them for that.
Now, if only there were really two earths so I could experience this movie for the first time again…
**4.5 out of 5 stars**
