A film about mental disease

Rating: 4/10 (24 February 2011)

I'm underwhelmed. The film seems to be vastly over-rated, if not all-out misunderstood.
Far as I can tell it is a depiction of schizophrenia and of the dangers of losing control. I wasn't too surprised to learn that it has the same creator as Requiem for a Dream, for the resemblance is indeed strong.
What I liked least was the depiction of drug use - I liked Portman's character way too much to see her depicted as so weak-willed. But really, the film makes the most sense as a straight depiction of the slow advance of schizophrenia, with perhaps a bit of warning against drug use thrown in for good measure. It would be a better film if it did not take so much refuge in ambiguity and hallucinations, however.