Overrated

Rating: 3/10 (12 December 2010)

The movie feels as if it was intended to be hour longer than it is and that multiple scenes were removed to get to the desired length. There are to many loose ends, scenes that make one wonder why they are in the film, and, ultimately, what was going on. There are some cheap shocks that lead to nothing and not much else. I have the sense that people are praising this movie because of the director's reputation and a fear of being uncool if they do not like it. Aaide from that, I must say that Natalie Portman needs to eat something and work on a facial emotion other than grave concern. Vincent Cassell does his usual fine work as a sleaze, and Mila Kunis is all grown up and seductive. Barbara Hershey is excellent as a mother who is either maniacally overbearing or genuinely concerned about a daughter with serious mental issues. The excellent work of all three of these performers is not enough to save this movie or forge a coherent plot.