15 Best Movies About Cults

This drama focuses more on the trauma and damage a cult can cause on an individual rather than the cult itself. Elizabeth Olsen gives a star-making turn as Martha, a woman who escapes a controlling and abusive cult and tries to assimilate back into society by living with her sister played by Sarah Paulson.

At the time, Olsen was an unknown and she tackles the challenging role with maturity and impressive depth. The inner workings of the cult, led by John Hawkes' Patrick, is never fully explored. Only what Olsen's character experiences explicitly is what is shown on screen and that works well for the intimate character study that Martha Marcy May Marlene aims to be.

Cults can either be glamorised as horror film mainstays or the focus can be on the enigmatic leaders, but Martha Marcy May Marlene has the singular goal of exploring what a victim of a cult can go through after they manage to escape.

It's thoughtful and feels honest, with a fantastic leading performance from Olsen.