SFF 2011: Sleeping Beauty - A Devastating Achievement

Submitted by rich on Sun, 12/06/2011 - 04:10
in
“In the mad rush of getting critical responses filed (or tweeted) before the 4th or 5th screening of the day begins, critics and commentators make snap judgments read by millions around the world, long before anyone else has a chance to even see the film, let alone formulate a counter-opinion.”
 
The above quote from a very, very good piece on the film by Matt Riviera (one I only really recommend reading after one sees the film) pretty much sums up my position in regards to this confronting and accomplished feature debut from Australian novelist Julia Leigh. Sleeping Beauty is the type of film I feel the need to sit on and digest for a few days yet the very nature of festival reviewing forces me to spurt out some form of opinion immediately before the wave of following films crashes upon this reasonably fragile little mood piece.
 
 
So what are my initial thoughts? Well, I can definitively say immediately that Sleeping Beauty is a significantly impressive first film. Formally it offers up an elegant and restrained visual palette, steeped in symmetry and a cold, clinical eye reminiscent of the works of Haneke or Kubrick. For a first time filmmaker with roots in the written word, Julia Leigh shows an innate understanding of visual storytelling.
 
The narrative is simultaneously oblique and straightforward. Emily Browning (giving a brilliantly brave performance, to drop that old cliché) plays Lucy/Sara, a college student who falls into prostitution as one of the many ways to earn money as she makes her way through her degree. The world of high-class escorts she falls into is full of rich, old, misogynistic men who pay to “sleep” with unconscious women.
 
The meaning of the film as a whole is not immediately apparent and many will leave Sleeping Beauty with a feeling of overall dissatisfaction but I don't think it is wise to so quickly write this film off. Lucy is an emotionally detached character that will easily alienate many viewers but its that very detachment (and ultimate emotional release) that gives this film such a frightening power.
 
At the very centre of the film Leigh breaks the fourth wall with an extended monologue delivered straight to the camera. It's a stunningly brave directorial move, one of the many that this truly fascinating film contains. As I mentioned earlier, Sleeping Beauty will take time to digest. It is a great achievement for a first time filmmaker and promises to be very divisive when it gets released widely in a few weeks.
 
 
 
You probably have already heard (and are bound to hear more) dramatically conflicting reports about this film. It is certainly not a film everyone will enjoy. Many will see it as boring, pretentious or exploitative but those that tune in to its very particular vibe will see a potentially brilliant modern Australian film that explores issues of urban alienation and malaise in a gripping and fascinating way. I really liked this one folks...
 
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Comments

Submitted by Daz (not verified) on Thu, 23/06/2011 - 14:35.

Thanks for the review.

Submitted by guest (not verified) on Wed, 15/06/2011 - 15:28.

I think you've been seduced by 1.possibly knowing people involved, 2.the actress is beautiful and the colours pretty, 3.misplaced loyalty to Australian films, 3.the pleasure of going against the trend.
It's a waste of the audience's time and a waste of money. It shouldn't have been made. The best thing about it is that the boredom doesn't last, and that it's one of those films you'll forget about as soon as you wake up - and fortunately, unlike Lucy you won't feel any need to find out what happened while you were sleeping.

Submitted by rich on Thu, 16/06/2011 - 09:46.

1: I don't know anyone involved in the making of this film.
2: While the lead actress is beautiful, the visuals of this film are actually much more cold and clinical than enticing.
3: Far from it. In fact up until the last couple of years I have been a staunch critic of Australian film so I am the last person to give something a pass simply due to its origin.
3: It is not like I am the only person to have seen something of value in this film. There are many supporters out there so I'm not particularly going 'against a trend'.

I would argue that your seeming passion against this film signals it actually did hit a nerve somewhere in you, for better or worse. After all, if you had forgotten about this film 'as soon as you woke up', then you would certainly not be reading reviews and arguing about it, hours or even days later. The fact you are even here, read this review and wrote this comment pretty much counters your whole point.

Submitted by Sabrina (not verified) on Thu, 23/06/2011 - 03:56.

Beautiful comment and beautiful review. This is also how I felt about 'Sucker Punch', which ironically, Emily Browning also was the star of.