This review is for Darren Aronofsky' s newest film Black Swan. Why did I start this blog out that way? Because it seems to me that all the artsy film snobs went into this film looking for one thing and found something entirely different. They wanted to see a better ballet movie, or they wanted to see more of a thriller or something totally different. Perhaps the critics wanted to see something closer to Aronofsky's last film The Wrestler. Both of these films share a hand-held aesthetic that make them comparable and decent companion pieces.
What the critics did see was a brilliant performance from Natalie Portman that I think makes her a front runner for Best Actress at this years Oscars. Portraying Nina Sayers Portman brings a delicate, uneasy, insecurity to her performance. Her metamorphosis in this film is long and grueling. Portman manages to convey both her physical and emotional deterioration in a way that is sympathetic and empathetic. Most critics will agree with that.
She is aided by a stellar cast including Mila Kunis as the up and coming free spirit that play a foil to the perfectionist of Sayers (that is if she is even a real person and not just a figment of Nina's imagination). Also Vincent Cassell as her fascist and predatory director. Another great performance comes from Barbra Hershey. She is Sayers obsessive and resentful stage mother. She is in total vamp mode. She has the acting knob turned up to 11 and I loved every insane moment! The critics are ripping Cassell to bits and I think it is unfair. This is melodrama and Cassell is filling his part perfectly. He sets the bar so high for Nina all the while beating her down. If this were any cheesier I would have expected Rock Hudson's ghost to to have a role.
The quick story is of a ballet company putting on Swan Lake. The director needs a dancer that can play both the white swan and its beauty and the black swan with all its sultryness. Nina has the white down perfect, but lacks the confidence and freedom to preform for the black swan. Along her journey she begins to show signs of an illness that may actually be transforming her into an actual swan.
Along with melodrama this film is a physiological thriller. And it had me white knuckling my seat on many occasions. Does Black Swan have faults? Yes. The script is a little weak and Aronofsky attempts to fill in the void with some of his visual flair. Most of the time it works flawlessly. When it doesn't, it only draws attention the the times it did. Wynona Ryder is completely wasted in her small role as the "past her prime" dancer that was once a favorite by Cassell and has now been replaced by Nina.
Black Swan is an extreme film that puts it all out there. I think that is very brave to have such a bold presentation of such a small personal story. It falters along the way, but those moments are few and far apart. I give Black Swan a 4.5/5 stars. Check out the Trailer Park to see for yourself.
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