Review: Sleeping Beauty

Country: Australia
Genre: Drama
Director: Julia Leigh
Cast: Chris Haywood, Emily Browning, Ewan Leslie, Peter Carroll, Rachael Blake

Once upon a time in a far away land there was a princess name Lucy (Emily Browning). Lucy was the most beautiful princess in all the land; she had skin white as snow and lips red as rubies. She was petite with long, curly hair with brown eyes, and a face as round as the moon. Lucy was not like other princesses; she did not mind being around peasants. She took magic pills that made her very happy and sniffed white pixie dust through a straw. She knew several princes and entertained a different one every night. Lucy was an independent princess; she worked several jobs in order to stay in her castle but these jobs were not enough. One day, Lucy is offered a job by a woman named Clara (Rachael Blake). Clara tells Lucy all she has to do is sleep; the job pays a lot of money and Lucy can buy as much pixie dust as she wants. Lucy says yes to Clara and becomes a Sleeping Beauty for old, wrinkled up kings looking for a happy ending.

The author (i.e, director Julia Leigh) writes about Lucy a lot but does not give a clear idea of who she is or the reason behind her actions. Julia Leigh makes the reader strain for any details about Lucy; she is far from the fairest of them all but without reason Lucy seems too much like a doll than a person. The author keeps the reader at a distance; hindering the story's ability to develop an emotional connection. This measured and cold approach keeps the emotional moments from working because Leigh keeps pushing the reader away and away to the point of apathy. It's like cranking up a car when the gas tank is empty. Though she's not lazy, she's also not working hard enough to keep interest up. Each chapter (i.e, scene) is calculated but the language is too robotic.

The words (cinematography) is beautiful, yet cold; the reader is not given any more than what is believed to be needed and even that is not enough. It can be frustrating when the reader looks for context under the surface and there is nothing to work with. It's not surprising if the reader does not care about Princess Lucy.

Princess Lucy is beautiful to look at and this erotic world she inhabits is dangerous and interesting, but not sexual or graphic. Princess Lucy is pure in appearance, from here porcelain like skin to her doll like face; Princess Lucy is an enigma in a story about her. She does not change in anyway nor is her character explored. When she wants to find out what happens while she's asleep it comes with no warning. Though the reader knows some of what's happening, it's still murky because Leigh brings each chapter with the old men to a abrupt end. For most of the story Princess Lucy lives her life without much conflict or if there is it's below the surface. The only person Princess Lucy seems to care about is a peasant name Birdmann (Ewen Leslie) but like everything else in the story, readers have to rack their brains to the point of exhaustion in order to find out why.

Julia Leigh does not give readers anything to work with in terms of storyline, making the book feel weightless. There are so many questions about why, when, where and how that Sherlock Holmes may be the only person who will find this book enjoyable. The plot unfolds out of chronological order and the minimalist style of storytelling leads to a lot of dead ends. This fairytale is in no hurry and takes its time. While there are a lot of questions involving the characters and many readers will talk amongst themselves as to what the moral of this tale is, I question whether this fairytale says anything at all. The premise is interesting but most of the book does not even deal with Princess Lucy's sleeping spells. The experiences do not matter until the very last chapter. I do not know if this fairytale has a voice or story worth telling. What's the use of following Princess Lucy around if there is no connection to her? No one wants to be spoon fed or treated like an idiot but there has to be something there.

Julia Leigh dares readers to feel nothing, like it's an exercise in restraint. It's a shame because it could have been beautiful, it's so unique. The questions surrounding the story takes away from the fairytale; from the experience. Because the story does not come into play until the last ten pages, the lack of any conflict, personality or commentary is maddening. There has to be some reason this book was written; some reason for it's existence. It's not drama filled, or action packed, plot driven or sexually exploitive; the story does not try to be anything. Everything is under the surface and never rises; it does not even simmer. Whatever the mystery is, it's not worth the effort.

After the final chapter is read and the book is closed, Sleeping Beauty is a fairytale without a happy ending; there's not an actual ending. The story never begins and floats around like morning dew above grass. Princess Lucy stays beautiful but never becomes interesting. There is no emotion, no lingering feelings, just nothing, like the book was never read. Score: 5/10