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Director Lili Horvát’s latest feature, “My Notes on Mars,” opened the Venice Giornate degli Autori program this year with a compelling but ultimately faltering examination of marriage and identity. The film stars Mackenzie Davis as Margot Fogle, an American astrophysicist who vanishes while hiking in the Hungarian mountains, only to reappear on the day of her own memorial service with complete amnesia about her past and whereabouts.
The film’s premise blends relationship drama with science fiction elements as Margot fixates on destroying her research notes, suggesting she has uncovered something significant about Mars. Her return strains her marriage to Sam, played by Rupert Friend, who struggles to recognize the woman his wife has become. The opening hour employs haunting, abstract imagery reminiscent of Tarkovskian cinema, using visual metaphor to explore themes of disconnection and escape from earthly constraints.
Despite strong performances from both leads—particularly Davis’s alien-like physicality and Friend’s quiet frustration—the narrative gradually loses its poetic edge. As the mystery surrounding Margot’s disappearance unfolds, the film shifts toward literal explanations, abandoning the ambiguity that initially drew viewers in. This tonal shift undermines the story’s metaphorical power, leaving characters and plot points stagnant as revelations fail to meaningfully advance the narrative.
While cinematographer Róbert Maly’s intimate visuals and Gábor Keresztes’s ethereal score maintain atmospheric appeal, “My Notes on Mars” demonstrates how promising conceptual frameworks can falter without sustained narrative momentum or character development.
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Originally reported by Variety →
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