SOUND OF MY VOICE

US, 2011, 85 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius, Brit Marling, Davenia Mc Fadden, Richard Wharton.
Directed by Zal Batmanglij.

The voice in question is that of Maggie, played with confident allure by Brit Marling (Another Earth, Arbitrage) who co-wrote the screenplay. It is a charming voice, but can it be trusted?

As the film opens, we see a young couple being showered, robed, bound, blindfolded and transported to a mysterious destination. On arrival, we realize that they are coming to a cult group and are about to be received. Then, Maggie, with breathing apparatus support, comes in veiled, suggesting a sacred presence. She seems to be from the future and has returned to bring salvation to chosen ones.

We then realize that the couple are documentary film-makers, getting footage surreptitiously to expose Maggie as con and fake. Most of us will realize that we share their scepticism and listen to Maggie’s plausible moralizing, her condemnations and her embracing her disciples. Brain and emotion-washing.

It is not as easy to infiltrate a cult as the couple imagination and Maggie is a mixture of charm and insightful insinuation. She also makes a demand of the young man which could put him outside the law. Will he do it? Has he succumbed to Maggie’s persuasion?

As is probably proper for this kind of hypothetical situation, there are enough indications that Maggie is a fraud, but also some moments where we wonder whether she is actually who she claims she is. Which means that there could be a lot of discussion and argument after the final credits.


1. Audiences’ interest in cults, the New Age movement, time travel? Combination of these themes? The title and its tone?

2. The Los Angeles settings, the apartment, the work of film-makers, primary schools, the museum, ordinary life? The contrast with the cult’s basement, rooms? The storeroom? The medical room? The musical score?

3. The screenplay divided into chapters, the effect, continuity and episodes?

4. Peter and Lorna, the process of gaining entrance to the cult, the shower, the scrubbing, the robe, arms bound, the blindfold? The twenty-minute drive? The characteristic handshake? Klaus, the introduction to the group, the Chinese couple? The cult setting?

5. The introduction to Maggie, her oxygen, her robe, hair, her appearance? Her status as leader?

6. Her story, wandering Los Angeles, falling to Earth? Her being helped, meeting Klaus, hiding in the basement? The establishment of the cult? The choosing of disciples, preparing them? The ritual entry?

7. The sessions, the tones of brainwashing, loyalties, the soothing voice, life in the future, back to the present to save it?

8. Peter and Lorna, Peter wearing the glasses with the camera? Not achieving much footage? His swallowing the camera – and Maggie’s cajoling him, his retching? Sceptical attitudes? The audience sharing them?

9. Lorna and her participation, listening to Maggie? Yet questioning? Going for the walk in the woods, the target practice? Her vegan and not eating the worms? Suspicions? Love for Peter? Observing him being seduced by Maggie’s power?

10. Peter, ordinary, his teaching primary school, the children, Abigail and her problems in class, the bullying, the other members of the staff, with the students at the La Brea Museum? His drab life?

11. Maggie, her way of talking, singing the popular song of the future and discovering it was written in the 1990s? Her talking with Peter, questions about his past, getting inside his mind and emotions, his vomiting? Changing him?

12. The eating of the worms – the conservation reasons? It being distributed like Communion?

13. The eating of the apples, the bitter taste, the group spitting them out? Retching?

14. Lam and his questions, his being asked to prove events prior to his birth, his mistake about Kennedy? His being ousted? Christine staying?

15. The FBI agent, arriving, debugging her hotel room? Making contact with Lorna? The information about Maggie, robbery and arson? Setting up for trapping and arresting Maggie?

16. Abigail, her fits, her being bullied at school, her father injecting her, the target of Maggie’s interventions?

17. Peter, his agreement to the abduction, the arguing with Lorna? The discussions with Maggie? Criminal behaviour? His finally agreeing? Lorna and her leaving, coming back, agreeing to participate, Peter and knifing the tyres, the teacher unable to supervise? His role with the children, the bus, the museum?

18. The plan, the members of the cult, accusing Peter of betrayal? Abigail, the explanation of consultation for family, the handshake with Maggie, her being Maggie’s mother?

19. Peter, the final bewilderment, was Maggie telling the truth, from the future, coincidence, scam?

20. The plausibility of Maggie coming from the future, falling to Earth, the robbery and arson as her way of survival? Amnesia? Or was this all just a ploy to create a cult, a militia, exercise of power?