Rating: A+
A gripping tale of a ballerina's rise to fame that's both terrifyingly beautiful and beautifully tantalising. Darren Aronofsky delivers the most emotionally devastating movie I've seen in a really long time.
Delving into the neurotic psychoses of a ballet dancer as she reaches the pinnacle of her career, Natalie Portman delivers a powerful and visceral performance. Black Swan shows us the strength and frailty of what it takes to become a prima ballerina, and what happens when said ballerina has deeply rooted self esteem issues. We watch as Natalie Portman takes us deeper and deeper into Nina Sayer's insecurity, watching her sanity creak, crack, and finally crumble.
The dancing isn't stellar, and it's most apparent when Portman is practising with an instructor who shows her a couple moves in one of the scenes. But it was good enough that it didn't take anything away from stellar performances all around. The story revolves around Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, with each Natalie Portman personifying The White Swan and Mila Kunis personifying The Black Swan. Portman's insecurity reflected by Mila Kunis' self assuredness. Portman's innocence, with Kunis' corruption. Where Portman is totally inhibited, Kunis is entirely uninhibited. This line is further pulled taut by Vincent Cassel's masterful portrayal as the director of the ballet; part asshole, part perfectionist, part sleazeball, mixed in with a bit of tough love, trying to bring Portman out of her shell to embody both The White AND Black Swan.
Black Swan is unforgettable and intense. A heavy film that makes no pretense as it hits with you with a train. Bold, dark, and magnificent. And definitely not for those with weak stomachs.
~Cheers.
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