Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty is a haunting 2011 drama directed by Julia Leigh. Featuring Emily Browning in the lead role as Lucy, this film stands out as an evocative and atmospheric exploration of a young woman's descent into a dark underworld of society.

The movie investigates contemporary themes of physical and emotional exploitation. It delves deep into the recesses of human nature and lays bare the intricate interplay between vulnerability and manipulation.

Emily Browning delivers a compelling performance as Lucy, a university student balancing her studies with a gamut of jobs including as an office clerk, a waitress, and a medical test subject. Her detached and almost aloof portrayal significantly imbues the character with an air of mystery, pulling audiences into her world of enigma. Anonymity marks her existence, making it difficult for viewers to decipher her story, all the while underscoring the levels of her youthful disenfranchisement and dislocation.

As Lucy's finances become increasingly strained, she’s drawn into a seductive world of high-end nightwear and nocturnal clientele, led by the sophisticated and frosty madam Clara, played by Rachael Blake. Clara runs a service that offers a rather eccentric form of entertainment to wealthy men. Here, Lucy's character becomes even more intriguing as she begins taking on the eponymous role of the 'Sleeping Beauty'.

Utilising her unique aura of allure and vulnerability, Lucy's experiences in Clara's provincial manor brings a perspective of disturbing transactions which leave significant effect on her life and psyche. The movie makes use of her venture into this job to bring forth profound statements about societal attitudes.

The cinematographic grammar of the movie is also noteworthy. Striking visuals and stark use of colours paints a profound, unsettling, and dreamlike realm that adds to the eeriness of the plot. As scenes oscillate between the modern university environment and the quasi-gothic dwelling where Lucy works, audiences are made privy to an interesting juxtaposition of different realities of her world.

Ewen Leslie plays Birdmann, an eccentric friend and the closest person to Lucy in her turbulent life. He provides the much needed human connection in Lucy's world, offering moments of refuge from her increasingly dislocated situation. It's through their relationship and interactions that audiences can see Lucy as a layered individual with poignant vulnerabilities rather than a mere object of fascination and antipathy.

Sleeping Beauty also challenges viewers through its narrative style. The film merges elements of evocative realism with an unsettling, off-kilter tone that demands attention. The movie refuses to fit into a particular genre easily and is deeply layered, manifesting an amalgamation of character study, social critique, and surrealist drama.

The element of silence is cleverly used in the film, often creating tension and an eerie calm before a storm, further intensifying the movie's dark atmosphere. The dialogues are minimalistic, relying heavily on the performances of its cast, combined with its vivid cinematography, to narrate its story. The movie unfolds more as a visual poem than a standard narrative.

In all, Sleeping Beauty is a film that blends contemporary drama with pervading elements of unease. It probes deep into social norms, the objectification of women, and the psyche of its protagonist, Lucy, played brilliantly by Emily Browning. Dark, bold, and surreal, Sleeping Beauty ventures into the disturbing underbellies of society, forcing viewers to reflect upon exploitation, power dynamics, and the vestiges of human weakness.

It's a movie for those who appreciate complex narratives, high-brow performances, and profound social commentary. Despite the enduring sense of discomfort that the movie provokes, it's a cinematic experience augmented by the film's meticulous crafting and its adherence to a distinct visual and thematic style. The performances of Emily Browning, Rachael Blake, and Ewen Leslie bring to life a chilling tale that stays with the viewer, long after the curtains close.