director: Darren Aronofsky
writers: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John McLaughlin
starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis
genre: Drama
I absolutely loved Black Swan. I wasn’t sure at first if I would enjoy it and I wasn’t sure what to think. When the movie was over I still wasn’t sure what to think. Despite how that might sound, that is not a criticism, but rather high praise for director Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream), and Natalie Portman, who present a movie that is complex, compelling, and never ordinary. It is also one of the year’s best.
Aronofsky walks a thin line between madness and genius in his movies, and you are never really sure which side he spends more time on. His movies are not what you might describe as being “feel good”, but they all are capable of evoking reactions in the audience. That reaction may not always been what they want to feel, but it is always deliberate, and always well done.
Black Swan is an Oscar candidate in several categories. Aronofsky deserves the nomination, it will be a shock if Portman does not also receive a nomination, and many of the crew and supporting cast turn in performances that are noteworthy, including Vincent Cassel and Barbara Hershey. It is a film worth seeing, and one that is easily among the best of the year. But it is not a film that you will have fun watching, nor was that the intention.
Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina on the rise, replacing Beth (Winona Ryder) as the lead dancer in a new production of Swan Lake from ballet impresario Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel). While her form is excellent due to years of training with her ex-ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey), Nina lacks the passion required for the duality of the Swan Queen; new addition Lily (Mila Kunis) has the sensuality necessary for the darker side of the role and the two dancers traverse a psychological battlefield on the road to the opening night performance.
The positive side of the movies is that it’s beautifully filmed. Masterfully acted. A story that takes your hand then forces you to sprint with it to the conclusion. One of the best films of the year. The negative side is the pacing at the beginning might cause some minds to wander. Not a movie you will throw in the DVD and watch repeatedly.
I believe that Natalie Portman clearly deserves an Oscar nomination (and probably a win ,personally I haven’t seen every movie this year, so it’s hard to say for sure) for her work as Nina. Pure and simple, she loses herself in the role and delivers one of those special performances people will be talking about for years.
Black Swan is a film about the price of beauty, and the intensity of perfection. It is both beautiful and devastating, and brilliant while having moments that are difficult to watch. Aronofsky knows exactly what he wants, and like a hand crafted watch, if one piece had not worked correctly, the rest would be marred by it. But the pieces work perfectly, and the result is one of the best films of the year. Black Swan is highly recommended, and while you may not leave the film feeling happy, you should leave it feeling fulfilled.
Personal Rating:
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