The East

The East is a political thriller that is the spawn child of co-writer and Lead Actress Brit Marling, one of film’s up and coming young women.  The East follows Sarah Moss an agent for a private intelligence firm that provides their corporate clientele protection from eco-terrorism.  Sarah played by Brit Marling is assigned to infiltrate the eco-terrorism group known as The East, an anarchist group that plans to carry out three “jams” or attacks on three different corporations.  The East does a good job of balancing it’s thriller side of the film with it’s indie soft spot.

In preparation of the film Marling along with her co-writer and director Zal Batmanglij spent two months immersed in freeganism, the act of eating discarded food and living without the use of money.  This culminates into a thriller movie that all the hippies have been waiting for, integrating an environmental conservation message into an interesting and adept thriller.  Which is something to be appreciated, to make a thriller that works for the most part and making it about something more by having a topical message behind the film.  The East starts a conversation and asks it’s fair share of question though it fails to provide compelling answers for a few of them.  Leaving the theater I found myself not thinking so much about the film, but it’s message.

The political group, The East is what you would get if you combined the online Internet hacking group Anonymous with those 1970’s hippies that drove cross-country in their Volkswagen van.  For a good chunk of the film the group of people that make up The East come off as rather cultish.  However The East separates itself from typical thriller territory again by bringing Sarah into each member’s own very personal world simultaneously connecting the viewer with the members of this anarchist group using the human element.  Each character’s backstory helps the viewer feel more connected and with each personal story The East becomes less of a scary cult and more just a group of people trying to do some good while battling their own demons.    

The movie is well shot and newcomer Batmanglij continues to pave his way as good director among the Sundance circuit.  One of my favorite moments in the film included a montage that was scored with a haunting piano soundtrack, which came from one of the characters playing piano on screen.  This film has knack for making some of it’s intense moments in the film both emotional and touching as well.   At points in the film it can become a little difficult to maintain you suspension of disbelief, but the scripts careful and personal treatment of the characters are able to pull the audience back in to the film for the most part.

 

The East is a little disjointed, but should be commended for it originality and it’s daring subject matter, which unfortunately shouldn’t be considered so daring.  It separates itself from other thrillers through it’s message and humanity.  Overall it’s a good film with some slight issues here and there, but it’s humanity, intensity and it’s ability to break new ground keep the audience engaged.

Rating: 77/100