sick and manipulative

Rating: 4/10 (6 February 2011)

The genre is declared as psychodrama, so that should warn the audience. But, really, is it necessary to push the movie-goer's buttons for the sake of pushing those buttons? Especially when the subject is so rich, and beautiful, and full of emotion that there are a gazillion other (more mature and honest) ways to have a truly moving story.
Natalie Portman is a terrible dancer, looks like a sick puppy in this movie, but that's the least of her problems. Her character has the emotional maturity of a scared 8-year old, and the energy of a deathly sick 95 year old. The sadness of being her is emphasized again and again, with gruesome images and scary music, displays of blood and pain and New York subway.
There is no character development whatsoever - the heroin continues to look like sick puppy throughout the movie, getting sicker and sicker towards the end.
I feel cheated by the makers of the movie - what a waste of a beautiful subject and a beautiful actress...