Sleeping Beauty

Name: Sleeping Beauty
Genre: Drama
Released: December 2, 2011
Duration: 104 min
Rating: 57
Cast: Emily Browning

2011

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Mixed or average reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 61 Ratings

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4.6

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4.6	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 61 Ratings

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Sleeping Beauty

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Movie Details & Credits

Sundance Selects | Release Date: December 2, 2011 | Not Rated

Starring: Emily Browning

Summary: This coolly shocking retelling of the classic myth poses its heroine as a rarified sex-worker, confronting ideas of feminine sexuality with bravado and precision. (Sundance Selects)

Director: Julia Leigh

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 104 mins

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Critic Reviews

Sheri Linden

Dec 9, 2011

As repellent as Lucy's story can be, its mystery has a seductive sway, and it does add up to more than the sum of its insistently elliptical parts. Read full review

Empire Anna Smith

Oct 10, 2011

This will divide audiences as much as "The Tree Of Life," but it's a brave and beautiful calling card for both filmmaker and star. Drink it up, sit back and think of a very different Australia. Read full review

Kyle Smith

Dec 2, 2011

I'm not, finally, sure what Leigh is saying - but she is a filmmaker with a voice. Read full review

Noel Murray

Dec 1, 2011

Emily Browning gives a game performance as the unconscious sex object, but Leigh doesn't provide her with a lot to work with in terms of motivation, dimension, or any kind of rich interior life. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Dec 1, 2011

Though the tone is quiet and the pacing serenely unhurried, Sleeping Beauty is at times almost screamingly funny, a pointed, deadpan surrealist sex farce that Luis Buñuel might have admired. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Nov 2, 2011

Sleeping Beauty is one of those self-consciously artsy motion picture that promises more than it delivers. Read full review

Joe Neumaier

Dec 3, 2011

Though Julia Leigh's surprisingly dull debut is meant to present the mysteries of a troubled young woman, you're more likely to wonder why its star, Emily Browning, is drawn to such demeaning roles. Read full review

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User Reviews

frozenpinky

May 8, 2012

I actually really liked this film. I like it because it stays with you after it has ended (like Eyes Wide Shut, Mulholland Drive...etc). Although it has nudity throughout, it's not erotic nudity. It's got an almost "cold, sterile" vibe riding alongside in the passenger seat. There's plentyI actually really liked this film. I like it because it stays with you after it has ended (like Eyes Wide Shut, Mulholland Drive...etc). Although it has nudity throughout, it's not erotic nudity. It's got an almost "cold, sterile" vibe riding alongside in the passenger seat. There's plenty of questions to ask yourself when watching (1.The meaning behind the character "Birdman"... 2.The "Lack of Kissing"... 3.The "Will You Marry Me?"... 4.The ending...etc)

There's definitely multiple hidden narratives or meanings that this film operates on and it's definitely trying to examine the objectification of females, and what constitutes as a sexualized image or the nature of sexual aggression. It's also notably showing the parallel of being asleep through her entire life (seemingly not being fazed by anything) and to finally "wake up" at the finale... hence a play on the title.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

nicholasbert

Oct 30, 2014

No wonder it was Cannes to praise this film. Although Sleeping Beauty is an Australian production, this type of cold eroticism is usually exclusive to French cinema and it is one of its most prized features. Also, no wonder American festivals neglected it (too much nudity, swear words, fullNo wonder it was Cannes to praise this film. Although Sleeping Beauty is an Australian production, this type of cold eroticism is usually exclusive to French cinema and it is one of its most prized features. Also, no wonder American festivals neglected it (too much nudity, swear words, full frontal male, drugs, alcohol, but it wasn't Tarantino's, so no).

Trouble is, many people think this kind of movie is pretentious. It depends on your definition. Pretentious films, to me, are those that think they can teach you something, like big morals or history. Sleeping Beauty doesn't even try that, it just lets you open a window on somebody's life. The assumptions and what you derive from what you see is entirely up to you.

So I didn't think it was pretentious, but I did think it lacked a bit of character and sprite. The acting could have been better, except for Emily Browning's which was deliberately plain.

Finally, despite all the nudity, there's not a glimpse of sensuality throughout the whole picture. And after a while one starts to understand how.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Johnnydoedoe

Apr 12, 2012

Definitely not your everyday film. I understand how some people could be offended or dislike the movie as a whole, however, if you watch the trailer before hand or read the synopsis, you should know what you are getting yourself into. The trailer really shows the sexuality of it. So thatDefinitely not your everyday film. I understand how some people could be offended or dislike the movie as a whole, however, if you watch the trailer before hand or read the synopsis, you should know what you are getting yourself into. The trailer really shows the sexuality of it. So that being said, it wasnt a bad movie. Some silent moments to show the boredom in her regular life but again, its an artsy film so sit back and enjoy. Passing grade.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

jimmytancredi

Dec 2, 2011

Despite being a film that abuses of silence, recurrence and plans extremely long (the joint that gives a consistency that borders on the unbearable, and maybe that's the intention of the director), Sleeping Beauty did not cause me sleep, or made me uncomfortable, but arrested my attention inDespite being a film that abuses of silence, recurrence and plans extremely long (the joint that gives a consistency that borders on the unbearable, and maybe that's the intention of the director), Sleeping Beauty did not cause me sleep, or made me uncomfortable, but arrested my attention in hopes of a turnaround, a start who was Lucy. I have seen the majority of Emily movies, and I shall say this is one of her best performances, judging first by the girl's age which is surprising. Nevertheless, still she has some things to learn: it was possible to notice her movements as she slept, movements, apparently, someone who is awake . Pay attention to the uncomfortable scene of the bald old man licking her face.

The direction of Julia Leigh is good and certainly safe, the almost complete absence of soundtrack only adds raw to the aspect of the film, the photography is excellent, the direction a little piece of art though. But the sticking point of the work of Julia Leigh lives in the script, right? Well, certainly Julia doesnâ… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

arialynx

Dec 19, 2012

I know, I know this is supposed to be an art house film. But I actually found it pretty boring & ended up fast forwarding through most of it. My curse is that once I've started a movie I'm usually curious enough to want ot know the ending. But I got to the ending of this movie & thought: that's it?

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

moviebuff88

Sep 23, 2012

This is a movie that happens to be too abstract for it's own good. It's a voyeuristic character study where you don't ever really care about the protagonist and the ending doesn't wrap up enough things to make it feel worth it. Any symbolism the film has is lost in it's trust that theThis is a movie that happens to be too abstract for it's own good. It's a voyeuristic character study where you don't ever really care about the protagonist and the ending doesn't wrap up enough things to make it feel worth it. Any symbolism the film has is lost in it's trust that the audience is willing to care enough to dig to find it. This director shows signs of promise and some scenes echo cinematography from Bergman and other similar film makers but never rises to it. Overall, the film is one that in the end doesn't really justify sitting through the slow and vague exploration of sex when there are so many better films on the subject out there.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

shimano6000

Feb 18, 2012

This is a bleak and disturbing movie with no redeeming feature at all. There is a hope throughout that there will be some sort of better story revealed, something we have not been told but will be. Once the movie is over, there is an overall sense that the director has sucked you in toThis is a bleak and disturbing movie with no redeeming feature at all. There is a hope throughout that there will be some sort of better story revealed, something we have not been told but will be. Once the movie is over, there is an overall sense that the director has sucked you in to wasting that much time of your life. It is a pretentious movie, imagining itself to be intelligent, but simply ugly on the inside and weird on the outside!… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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