i have see the movie at the viennale a few year ago and where the audience like it . i like it as well and summer phoenix performance still haunt me and that´s why i decide to write a comment . the story unfolds in london around 1900 and where a jewish girl decide to become an actress . she try desperately to become one and but it isn not before a man treat her badly that she realize on stage and that she have talent and that she connect with the audience and emerge a a strong human be . there be certain review and be her performance be smash and they accuse her of be dull and not able to bring life to her character . i think that´s her strong point and that´s exactly what esther kahn should be and phoenix make a brave decision to make her esther a rather boring girl . so her transformation at the end be more powerful than it could have be otherwise . the cinematography be great and the image of london around the turn of the century be very dark and sad and you can see how unpleasant life be back then . the only fault in my opinion be the length of the movie and you loose touch with the character and after all it´s only about find the actor in yourself and so there be no dramatic action in the film . it´s phoenix credit that we do not loose the interest in the movie after the first hour .