The American

This is a great film . So much quality here ! First of all the sound editing and sound track were both extremely well done - the music and choices where to add music and where to go silent were meaningful and purposeful and crated the exact vibe to math the visual aesthetic.

Secondly the story itself is told brilliantly - you are left feeling the passion and desire and sadness - you see and feel the spiral into something completely raw and vulnerable- the love story here is between ballet and the dancer . The lead was incredible and she did an amazing job helping you feel raw .

The whole movie makes you feel sort of "icky " and question how far you would do to get what you want , what kind of person would you become to be the best ?

You are drawn in , impressed and left thinking long after . This review isn't doing this film justice but I loved it - it has an X- factor I can't even seem to put into words here .

Ballet is hard core - watch this !

Thus movie touched me in many ways but on the top the beauty and acting of Talia Ryder. She remained soul of this movie throughout and non any other character even close to her and I gave 6/10 to this movie just because of Talia. The charm of the movie was all gone as soon as you realize that none other were actually Russians and all are Ukranians or European took part in this movie so their Russian and English both were pathetic and Russians must have been laughing about it while watching this movie. Further the film is made in Poland so it totally lost its charm as picturizing such a movie with Russians and on original locations would have made some sense and perhaps then this movie may score 8-9 out 10.

Oh wow I loved this movie. It really got me where it hurts. I sat in silence for quite a while after the credits rolled.

I come from dance, haven't been in that world for years, but this felt so authentic in the way it captured what it was like to yearn to be better at something, devote every ounce of your life to it, constantly hit setbacks, and reach a point where your desire becomes an almost dangerous obsession to the point that it can make you question who you really are.

The images are so beautiful to look at from beginning to end, and everything about the film felt impeccably crafted. Most importantly, it didn't at all shy away from the tougher sides of what this kind of life is like. It felt honest, emotional, and completely overwhelming.

I am now newly obsessed with Joy Womack. Amazing!!

This film was beautifully executed and acted. You can feel Joy's obsession, her ambition, her dedication and her internal conflict. As an American dancer in Russia her life could not have been easy. It was certainly more difficult than she anticipated it would be. The physical and mental stress, the political corruption must have been a shock for anyone let alone someone so young. I can't help but wonder if she would have had an easier time if she paid more attention to the moment, to what she was doing, instead of yearning for something she didn't have. The film shows her planning and plotting while she should have her head in the moment. This film is a wonderful depiction of ambition getting in the way of success.

"Black Swan" was the definitive story of a ballerina spiralling into madness under the prolonged pressures of competition, physical wear and injury, and emotional insecurity. While Joy Womack narrowly avoids total destruction, "The American" just adds the cultural and political stressors without differentiating the styles of training and ballet between Russian and American schools. That would have been more telling than the unrelenting scenes of Joy Wormack's furrowed brow, tears and smeared mascara. Diane Kruger rescued this otherwise tedious litany with her portrayal of a tough taskmaster but the male dancer Womack marries (Nik) provides the only emotional relief and humanity in this maudlin tale.