Martha marcy may marlene is a powerful psychological thriller starring elizabeth olsen as martha a young woman rapidly unravelling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader john hawkes seeking help from her estranged older sister lucy sarah paulson and brother in law hugh dancy martha is unable and unwilling to reveal the truth about her disappearance when her memories trigger a chilling paranoia that her former cult could still be