Monday a.m. at Sundance: The East

Director: Zal Batmanglij.  Screenwriters: Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling.

Cast: Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgard, Ellen Page, Toby Kebbell, Shiloh Fernandez, Patricia Clarkson.   U.S.A., 2012, 116 min., color.

Described as:  “An operative for an elite private intelligence firm goes into deep cover to infiltrate a mysterious anarchist collective attacking major corporations.  Bent on apprehending these fugitives, she finds her feelings growing for the group’s charismatic leader.”

This description falls short in adequately disclosing what this film was about.  Brit Marling’s character is an ex-FBI agent hired by a private intelligence agency to snoop on The East, an anarchist group.  She successfully infiltrates and is included in an activity in which the group got into a celebratory corporate party and poisoned the board members and executives with their own drug.  She reported this activity to her boss only to be told she didn’t care because that corporation wasn’t her client.  This was the first hint that all factions had their own agenda and that things weren’t as they seemed.  The story went on to the point where the Feds were cracking down on The East.  Their leader, who was a very rich and charismatic guy, fled and ultimately rendezvous with a trucker who smuggled him into Canada.

This is not a spoiler.  There was a lot of character and plot development between Brit’s infiltration and the leader’s fleeing.

The film was well done but was troubling, certainly to me, as a mother.  I think mother’s always worry that their children will be duped, taken advantage of and hurt.

Some of the actors were present at the Q & A but didn’t elaborate on the message of the film.   The film will probably turn up in theaters.   I would be interested in what others thought about The East.

The movie trailer for The East is very dramatic. You can see it at this link.

For The East’s page in the Sundance Film Festival Guide, click here.