Ryder shines.

Rating: 9/10 (4 February 2008)

An outrageously flawless performance from the lovely Winona Ryder highlights this interesting, though sometimes tedious film. Some if it felt really out of place but for the most part it was a compelling story. Not entirely unique and with a load of cliché characters and scenes, it still found ways to keep drawing me in and focusing on the plot. As I said before, Ryder is phenomenal in one of my favorite female performances of the decade and is surely my win for the year. Her range and emotional intensity is flawless. I found that her character was extremely easy for me to relate to and that made her performance that much more emotional for me. Jolie was also great and deserved her win, though I give it to Bonham Carter.