toxic perfectionism

His films like Black Swan and The Wrestler obsessively depict characters consumed by the relentless pursuit of perfection, exploring how ambition becomes self-destructive.

He examines rigid systems and control in works like The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Poor Things, where characters navigate impossible standards and emotional perfectionism.

His films including Antichrist and Dancer in the Dark feature protagonists struggling against crushing internal demands and societal expectations that fracture their psyche.