Already considered a shoo-in for the Oscars, Darren Aronfsky’s Black Swan is the critics’ favorite movie this winter. So it was with high expectations that I entered the theater. Two hours later I walked away impressed but definitely not swept away.
Black Swan is what it promises to be; a dark psychological thriller. Set in the highly competitive scene of the New York ballet scene, the story is about a young and ambitious company dancer – Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman). Though she is not the principal dancer, she is clearly one of the best, and is hoping to land the leading role in the upcoming season’s rendition of “Swan Lake”.
Her audition is far from perfect, but she does manage to land the role. This is really the starting point of the movie – this is where all the madness begins.
Nina is definitely not psychologically ready to be the principal dancer which comes with heightened pressure and competition. Early in the movie, we see hints of paranoia and delusion in Nina’s mind – but we are not really sure what is happening. Nina feels especially threatened by a new arrival to the company, Rebecca (Mila Kunis) towards whom she clearly has some unexplained attraction.
As Nina struggles to keep up with the demands of her role, an exploitative director and a the smothering relationship with her mother, she starts to come apart at the seams. There are some remarkably chilling scenes as we go deeper in Nina’s delusion and the climax is truly dark.
Aronofsky introduces us to the harsh realities of the world of ballet – intense competition, limited shelf life of the artist, the pain-staking regime, the diet instructions, and exploitative directors. Therein also lies the flaw of the movie – the heightened sense of wrongness stretches the audience’s credulity.
The camera work is wonderful – the hand held shooting format of the movie brings a level of grittiness in what could otherwise be a glossy world of ballet. The choreography is believable and it is clear that all the actors have put in a lot of effort to be these characters.
Black Swan is clearly Natalie Portman’s movie. From the very first scene, you sense her repressive environment – a small cluttered apartment that she shares with her loving yet over protective mother, lack of friends, competitive work environment.
Portman is the “White Swan” in Nina with her pale clothes, childlike innocence, her gentle voice and her inherent shyness. It is clear to see why it is so difficult for Nina to become the Black Swan….and as she tries to be that perfect performer pushing against her true self. Portaman’s scenes of brilliance are when she tries to break outside Nina’s boundaries and lets the craziness show.
Mila Kunis as Rebecca is in a way Nina’s anti-protagonist in every way. The rule breaker, the seductress …she is so easygoing that she is hardly believable as a ballerina. Kunis is however really good in creating this character who is a confidante in one scene, a lover in another and a rival in the next. Like Nina, you do not know what to make of her. I did not get the point of Beth McIntyre (Wynona Ryder) – does she represent perfection that Nina so aspires? Is her fate the fate of any perfectionist? I mean really, what is the point?
Black Swan is a dark movie with some really gory scenes and some very interesting, yet disturbing characters. You should definitely watch this movie if you are looking for offbeat cinema with a chill but it’s not for entertainment
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