I saw this in a relatively packed theatre, and the audience responses to it were so intense that a couple behind me started almost yelling at the screen during certain moments.
The story is based on Joy Womack, the American dancer who danced at the Bolshoi, and it seems to follow a relatively straightforward narrative initially. But once things start going wrong, it felt like a rollercoaster ride dropping into a relentless series of unpredictable twists and turns. I won't say much more for the sake of not giving spoilers, but suffice to say, I was constantly on the edge of my seat, and it felt very gripping right to the very end. I was literally holding my breath in parts.
The performances are extremely strong, particularly from Talia Ryder and Diane Kruger. It is visually stunning to look at, and features quite incredible direction at times from director (and writer) James Napier Robertson - who made another favourite film of mine, The Dark Horse. The music is beautiful, and very emotional.
The only warning I would give is this would not be for a younger audience, and might be a little too intense at times for some more sensitive audiences. It gets quite confronting at times.
The final imagery has stayed burned into my mind for days after the screening. Very powerful.
Highly recommend!
