In Sleeping Beauty (2011), director Julia Leigh offers a haunting, adult-oriented reimagining of the beloved fairy tale. This psychological drama explores themes of power, sexuality, and isolation, following the journey of Lucy (Emily Browning), a young woman who enters a mysterious world of sexual servitude. When she takes a job as a “Sleeping Beauty” for wealthy men, she remains unconscious throughout the encounters, creating a chilling contrast between vulnerability and control.

The film delves deep into the complexities of desire, autonomy, and objectification. Lucy’s transformation into the titular “Sleeping Beauty” symbolizes her disconnection from the world around her and her gradual descent into a dark, dreamlike state. It’s a tale that explores the fine line between submission and self-awareness, raising thought-provoking questions about exploitation and the human need for connection, both physical and emotional.

Emily Browning’s performance anchors the film, embodying a character who is simultaneously passive and deeply aware of her situation. The film’s striking visuals, minimal dialogue, and haunting score add to the atmosphere of detached surrealism, making it a thought-provoking and unsettling experience. The tone is one of eerie beauty, where the line between nightmare and reality is blurred, leaving audiences questioning the true meaning of the classic tale in a modern, disturbing context.