NewFest: Mary Marie

Mary Marie
Directed by Alexandra Roxo
Screening at NewFest July 22 at 8pm

“Mary Marie” is the story of two different girls, both so flirtatious and alternately social and anti-social in their own ways. The blonde, Mary (Alana Kearns-Green) is the more reserved, uncertain one, while the brunette, Marie (Alexandra Roxo), is considerably more self-assured and confident, aware of her attractiveness. The two sisters display a fraternity that suggests they are more comfortable and intimate with each other than sisters might normally be, without divulging in any unnecessary pictorials or images to illustrate their unusual bond. The romance feels real, and the arrival of handyman Peter (Tim Linden) feels like an intrusion, as the sisters begin to fight over him, mainly because he pulls each away from the other. The depiction of love and intimacy in “Mary Marie” is honest and realistic, and there is one particularly gorgeous, breathtaking shot on a Ferris wheel that serves well to sum up the beauty in this film. Other scenes are equally hypnotic, with music playing softly over muted conversations. Kearns-Green and Roxo, who also co-wrote the film, which Roxo directed, both turn in alluring and captivating performances in this small, sweet, enchanting film.

B+