[Editorial] Catherine in Queen of Earth (2015)

When we first meet Catherine, her face is soaked in tears and her make up is spoilt and smudged - her eyes are demanding our attention.

Her partner is leaving their relationship due to an over co-dependency (a theme that will be explored throughout the film) and she has recently lost her father, a renowned artist. It’s barely 10 minutes in and Catherine is dealing with abandonment and grief. Now at a crossroads in her life, she decides to visit her friend Virginia who is staying at a lake house in order to take some time to figure things out. Much of the film is focused on the strained and yet seemingly unbreakable relationship between the intense and confrontational Catherine, and the more relaxed and easy-going, Virginia. However, owing to the nuanced and evocative performance of Elisabeth Moss, Queen of Earth belongs wholly to Catherine. 

At the lake house, we see her pass the time by painting, an echo of her father’s occupation and a reminder of the weight that comes with living the shadow of someone who has achieved greatness. To begin with, there is a feeling of hope and promise that the retreat will be a healing process for Catherine and she will be able to lean on Virginia for some much needed support.  However, while the relationship between the friends is rooted in a long history (as told through switching between flashbacks and the present day), it is time itself that seems to eventually cast a cold shadow and highlight a growing distance between them. 

We get a strong sense of Catherine unravelling throughout the film as initially she is more energetic and takes a long walk to the shops, much to her friends’ disbelief. This is soon contrasted by Catherine spending much of her time in bed and remaining in the same set of clothes. What is also clear is that Catherine is not comfortable spending time with other people mostly because she does not seem at all comfortable with herself. In particular, she is riled by the persistent visits of Rich (Virginia’s new love interest) who often describes Catherine as ‘a rich brat’. Slowly and painfully, a division in the friendship is cemented and Catherine’s fragility descends into a downwards spiral, conveyed poignantly by the ever-wilting salad that sits untouched on her bedside table.

A heartbreakingly real portrait of depression, Catherine describes: ‘the good and the bad’ as feeling ‘so close’, a perfect summary of the film and the human condition. Despite her occasional outbursts of self-importance, Catherine is deeply sad and watching her is like seeing a wheel of colour and complexity spinning gradually out of control.  Authentic to herself at all times, Catherine is a manifestation of pure and uncensored feeling and emotion. 

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