3 out of 5

Director: Zal Batmanglij

As was the case with the co-writer Brit Marling’s previous project, “Another Earth,” Sound of My Voice uses an interesting concept as a springboard for something else… but as with AE, it’s not a “spring” so much as a casual tilt.  However, to the benefit of both films in terms of execution, the presentation never feels forced.  This is the overwhelming style of “Sound,” one of sitting back and experiencing if you so choose – which could be said to tie into the film’s theme – and is a structural choice that prevents the film from ever being “gripping,” but also prevents the viewer from being throttled with an agenda.  If Another Earth was secretly an exploration of how guilt propels our actions, Sound works with the same but coats it with fear, as journalist Peter and his girlfriend Lorna go undercover to explore a cult led by a woman (Brit) who makes some pretty bold claims about who she is.  Are the claims true?  What’s her agenda?  Are these the questions the film-makers want you to be asking?  There is an element of dread to the proceedings that does not seem unintentional, and Ms. Marling again delivers a very honest performance that perfectly sits on the cusp of identifiable, as mercurial to her followers as it will be to the audience.  She and director Batmanglij have constructed a film with a unique tone.  It’s not something to rewatch, and it’s not something to outright recommend, and it’s not even a spoiler to say it doesn’t really answer any of the questions it poses, because that seems evident from its paced and open construction.  So: This and Another Earth serve as important contributions to the film world, expanding upon the medium.  What you do with those contributions is entirely up to you.