Before She Sleeps

Author(s): Ryan D.
Location: MA

"Before She Sleeps"

Directed by: Stephen Daldry
Written by: Michael Cunningham

Main Cast
Cristina Ricci as Jude Cartow
Zooey Deschanel as Julia Paltrow
Julianne Moore as Suzanna Armstrong
Casey Affleck as Detective Falantry

Tagline: "3 Woman, 3 different times, 1 thing in common"

Synopsis: This is the story of the psyche of three female killers. Each in different periods of time, and at different stages in their murdering careers.First there is Jude (Ricci). She lives in the 1950’s, and looks like any average woman. One problem with Jude is she has been in a bad relationship where the man overpowers her. Her way of feeling dominant was killing him. Now she can’t stop killing. Though she wants to stop she feeds on feeling dominant.Than there is Julia (Deschanel). Julia is from the 1960’s. Julia, an Ivy League grad, looked like she was heading in the right direction. She than ended up marrying white trash and killed him when she couldn’t take it anymore. Right now she has been caught and throughout the whole film she is interrogated by Detective Falantry (Affleck). In interrogation she reflects on her regrets and life as a serial killer.Finally there is Suzanna (Moore). She lives in the present and is a lonely depressed woman living in New York City. She has low self esteem and feels like she isn’t noticed. She has decided she is going to kill someone to get famous. Even if it isn’t positive attention it is still attention in her mind. The film focuses on her pre-shooting.

What the Press would say:
Before She Sleeps is a moving, thrilling tail of the psyche of a female killer. With knock-out performances, good direction, and intelligent writing, this film is one of the year’s best.Director Stephen Daldry is really in his element, you get a good feel for this films direction. Daldry has a clear plan and follows through on it which is the best thing a director can do. The writing moves the film along with an appropriate pace and he gives each female depth.All three women really shine. Each has that one scene or line that screams Oscar. Cristina Ricci plays Jude with sorrow that really reads in her eyes. Zooey Deschanel giving her breakout dramatic performance steps it up to really shine. She has the hardest task; she is in one room for almost the whole film, sitting in a chair and still never bores you. Her slow deep southern accent reads perfectly for her character especially when she says “I have worked too hard in my life to get somewhere I aint ever goin’, how would that make you feel.” Julianne Moore exudes excellence with probably her most challenging role to date. Her character is extremely messed up in the head, and has so many layers, and Moore succeeds. Her scenes have a lot more art attached to them including scenes in her head of her falling into quick sand in her bedroom, and her whole room filling up with water. This film is a knock out.

Awards:
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Original Screenplay
Best Actress-Cristina Ricci
Best Supporting Actress-Zooey Deschanel
Best Supporting Actress-Julianne Moore
Best Supporting Actor-Casey Affleck