THE EAST
US, 2012, 116 minutes, Colour.
Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgaard, Ellen Page, Shiloh Fernandez, Patricia Clarkson, Jamey Sheridan.
Directed by Zal Malmangliz.
The title does not immediately indicate where this film is set or what its themes are. There is a prologue to the film where we see oil pollution in the ocean and its consequences for the beaches and, especially, for the bird life. A CEO is attacked for his responsibility for the disaster and a group sabotage his house, introducing oil to destroy it. The CEO resigns and retires. This is the work of an eco-terrorist group. Their name is The East.
The film was written by actress Brit Marling who appeared in Another Earth and Arbitrage. Her co-writer was the director, Zal Balmanglizze. TheyI had worked together on the film about a sect and brain-washing, The Sound of my Voice. In fact, The East with its drop-outs as eco-terrorists, this film is also about some brain-washing and the life of a secular sect.
Brit Marling is cast as a corporate spy. She is ambitious and has interviews with the chief, Sharon, played by Patricia Clarkson. And her partner at home thinks she works for the FBI and is sent to countries like Dubai. However, she goes undercover locally, following known rebels and possible terrorists, photographing them, sending the data in for verification. But she is caught by railway officials when they are stowing away on a train. She slashes her arm which gives reason for one of the group to take her to the headquarters for the doctor to stitch arm wound. As Sarah, she is received into the group, tested at a meal where everyone wears a straitjacket but has to feed themselves. She is surprised when they use a spoon with their mouth to feed each other.
This gives something of a motif for their collaborative world where they target those who have committed ecological crimes.
She manages undercover, joining in the rituals, the hard life in the woods, allowing herself to be bathed by the group. She also goes back to report to the boss and discovers information about members of the group.
The nominal leader, Benji, is played by Alexander Skarsgaard. However, many of the practical decisions are made by Izzy, played by Ellen Page.
Sarah participates in what the group call a ‘jam’. This involves infiltrating a society party where the producers of pharmaceuticals are promoting a drug which the group thinks contains toxins and has affected members and their relatives. Sarah’s role is to distract one of the hosts, a sex addict. During the toast after the speeches, the guests drink champagne which includes the pharmaceutical. The jam is a success.
Another is planned, this time involving the pollution of water which has killed a young boy in the town area. They watch a television commercial with an official from the corporation explaining that the water is perfectly safe. This jam is partially successful but has a divisive effect on the group.
Because of her attachment to Benji and her feelings about the issues with which they are involved, Sarah is put in crisis, confronting Sharon, getting information that Benji wants, and having to make a decision to leave the country with him or not.
The screenplay is particularly interesting in view of many of the revelations about American surveillance of ordinary citizens to. As well as by such organizations as the FBI. The other interesting aspect of the film is the eco-terrorism and the criminality of the large corporations. Audience sympathy for Sarah, her work for the big companies and her undercover experience will depend on the attitude towards infiltration of protest groups and the guilty aspects of the companies which destroy the environment.
1. A contemporary thriller? Independent U.S. filmmaking? Eco-terrorists?
2. The writers and their work, interests? The director and his work? Not funded by studios?
3. The locations: Washington, DC, homes, the horses in the countryside, offices, the woods and the centre for the rebels? The musical score?
4. The introduction, the eco-terrorists in action, their access to their victim, his name, the company, the destruction of the environment, the focus on the birds, the oil slicks? Vengeance? Attacking his house with oil? The news and the resignation of the CEO?
5. Jane, with her partner, their love for each other, their lives, work? Her visit to Sharon, the interrogation, Sharon’s response to her shrewdness? Sharon, Jane reminding her of her self when young? Keeping control? Jane and her driving, her prayer, the Christian radio? Going to the airport, farewell to her partner, her deception, going to Dubai? Getting the vehicle? The mission from Sharon? Her name as Sarah, following the group, in the train, their allowing her to sit with them, the guards, ordering them off, the officials, the handcuffs? Sarah following them to the beach? Photographing them, sending the photos back for identification? Discovering she was following an FBI agent? The escape from the train, the handcuffs, setting herself free, with Luke, cutting herself, the taking her to Doc, blindfold?
6. The group, their ages, experience, wealthy backgrounds, relationship with their parents, social motivation, moral righteousness, taking on violence? The plans, ‘the jams’? Eco-terrorism? Their way of life and rebelling from ordinary life, scouring the garbage for healthy food, survival, the small rooms, the meetings, the basement where they escaped after the police raid? The convictions?
7. Sarah, Doc helping her arm, her room, Izzy and the invitation to the meal, the straight-jacket, the challenge to feed herself, discovering others feeding each other, indications of their ethos?
8. Sharon, the company, wealth, the number of clients, their asking for security, her principles, industrial espionage, finding these terrorists? Collaboration with the FBI or not?
9. Benji as the leader, Izzy as making decisions, their life in the woods, inter-relationships? Sarah and her phone, sending in the information, going to visit Sharon, to go back again?
10. The characters of the group, their behaviour, Benji as leader, his wealthy background, home, the story of his family, their deaths, the pathos of his listening to the death of his parents and their silence? Setting fire to the home? His causes? Luke and his being gay, the reaction of the police? Izzy and her kissing Sarah, the suppressed sexual behaviour? The other characters, support in the jams?
11. Eating, the spin the bottle sequence, getting permission to embrace one another, to kiss each other, Sarah and her reactions, especially to Benji, to Izzy? Their washing each other? The nudity? Sarah watching Benji? The impact on Sarah and her undercover work, identity, emotions?
12. Sarah in the tree, Benji, attraction, the sexual relationship?
13. Jane at home, the changing her hair for her work, her partner, sleeping on the floor, her telling him the truth, the feelings of separation and the effect?
14. The plans, Doc and his story, the medication and his sister, the effect of himself and side-effects? The jam, going to the dinner, spruced up, the sex addict, his father, the speeches?
15. Sarah and the addict, distracting him, fighting in his room after his approach? Her knowing the champagne had the toxins? Her trying to take glasses, watching the group, the speeches, the drinking? Paige and her going on television, saying that she was not affected? Her later television interview, the deterioration, appearance, way of speaking? Doc and the glimpse of his letter of apology to Paige?
16. The next jam, the hotel, the woman on television for the company and the lies about pollution? Izzy and the confrontation with her father, talk, her mother, drugging her father, taking him into the river, his attempts at apology, paying money, the background of the little child and his death because of the water? Taking the woman into the water, her father? Her being shot, the police? The ambulance, Doc and Sarah operating to get the bullet out? Her death, the pathos of her burial, naked in the ground, the ritual and the sorrow?
17. The truth, Benji knowing, Luke knowing, Luke and his going, no longer able to stay? Sarah and Benji’s challenge to get the list of the agents, her demanding to go to see Sharon, Sharon her delay, the warnings about emotional involvement? Taking the photos of the agents, concealing them? Held up by security, Benji driving away, Sarah getting into the car? Not giving him the names? His wanting her to leave the country with him? Her decision not to go, the contacts, getting close to them, different companies, the exposure and the collage of headlines? A different way of combating the eco-villains? The final glimpse of Sarah as Jane and her decisions and audiences following of the arc of her behaviour, her future action, questions?
