I won't lie, I was very excited about seeing this. After belatedly seeing Requiem for A Dream, Darren Aronofsky proved himself to be a must watch Director in my books. As soon as I heard about the concept of Black Swan, and then, the sublime casting, I was champing at the bit to see what it was like. Now that I have, I'm pleased to say it exceeded my expectations.
Black Swan is the story of ballerina Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), who dreams of a lead role in a production. When brilliant but harsh Director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) announces the production is to be Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, the role of Swan Queen is available. Encompassing the dual roles of white and black swans (white swan being the fragile and reserved, black swan being the more erotic and free), Nina is given the role of Swan Queen, after she violently rejects Thomas' advances. Nina struggles with the black swan counterpart, her contemporary Lily (Mila Kunis) being more adept. She also feels guilt at her replacing of former Prima Ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder). As the pressure to be more free mounts on, and her overbearing and borderline psychotic mother (Barbara Hershey) constantly controls her, Nina begins to experience horrific hallucinations, ones which push her further in direction of becoming the promiscuous and tragic black swan.
Naturally, ballet is considered a high art form. Aronofsky blends this with the idea that the performance can be charged by eroticism, a dance so sexually intense that it can send you into catatonia. Portman plays the fragile Nina excellently, a permanent reluctant grimace and strain on her face throughout. Supporting performances from Cassel and Kunis, as the impassioned director and the unconfined rival respectively, shine brightly. Hershey as the overbearing stage mother is also quite scary, compulsively checking her grown daughter for scratches, as though she'd just come in from playing outside, not to forget Winona Ryder, unhinged and unwanted, sullenly milling around the film.
The painful practice that ballet requires is excellently displayed. Scenes of continuous pirouettes, meticulously spinning to Clint Mansell's score, another element that adds to the feel of the movie, dramatic and wholly encompassing.
Ultimately, Black Swan triumphs in its atmosphere. The feeling of mental stability being constantly shaken is prevalent, always prompting you to wonder in which way it will manifest itself next. A great film, surely to be critically commended when it comes out in January, and on many lists when the Oscars roll around once more.
