In an interview with IMDB, director Mike Cahill describes his film as an experience that audiences can’t expect. While disputing the possible categories his film fits into, he emphasizes the fact that (Another Earth) is not some crazy Alien movie.
Before I sat down and watched, I prepared myself for a sci-fi drama. As Cahill expected, it wasn’t what I expected. The film opens with its main character Rhoda Williams, an 18 year old at a graduation party celebrating the fact she will be attending MIT in the fall. While driving home from the party, a Radio DJ breaks the news that a new planet, that has the ability to carry life, has found its way into our galaxy, and can be witnessed in the night sky. Rhoda takes a quick look outside her driver window to find a blue, water based planet in her view.
At the heart of the film, Another Earth is a drama. Rhoda causes an accident that kills two people, and spends the rest of her life trying to make up for her wrong doings. But what makes this film different is its introduction of an identical planet to ours known as Earth II. The unknown of this simple addition to the story bewilders the viewer from gaining a grasp on the full plot. Cahill walks a fine line losing his viewer with this risk, but his film executes it perfectly all the way to his heart throbbing ending.
