<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Directed By: Darren Aronofsky<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Benjamin Millepied<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n As is said in the film, ballet isn’t for everyone and neither is Black Swan<\/em>, which really should be considered an honor more than anything. The film is overwhelming in every sense of the word and could just be too much for some to handle. But, if you have what it takes to absorb this wild mixture of personalities, visuals and nightmares, the result is profound. This is easily one of the most emotionally impactful films of the year and is something that will certainly haunt you long after the credits roll in the best possible way.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Natalie Portman is Nina Sayers, a professional ballet dancer desperate to be in the spotlight. When the lead dancer in her company, Beth (Winona Ryder), is forced to retire, Nina finally gets the opportunity to audition for the lead role in their production of Swan Lake <\/em>in which the White and Black Swans are played by the same performer. When the director, Thomas (Vincent Cassel), tells Nina she’s a natural for the role of the elegant and pristine White Swan, but lacks the natural sensuality required to play the Black Swan, Nina’s only chance to get the part is to give into Thomas’ sexual advances.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Once Nina is named the Swan Queen, the pressure to perform consumes her. Not only is her ex-ballerina mother (Barbara Hershey) keeping an incessantly watchful eye on her, but Nina herself must keep an eye on her competition, specifically the new free-spirited performer Lily (Mila Kunis). Lily embodies everything Thomas imagines the Black Swan to be, something Nina cannot achieve no matter how much she rehearses. As opening night draws near, Nina’s obsession with perfection becomes increasingly suffocating, disturbing and dangerous.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Black Swan<\/span><\/em> is a character piece and Nina Sayers is an endlessly fascinating person. Within minutes, the audience knows Nina inside and out creating a terrifyingly foreboding expectation for the events to come. She may seem like an innocent young dancer just trying to make her dream come true, but as the pressure builds, cracks in her composure reveal something horrifyingly volatile and almost otherworldly. It\u2019s this dichotomy that\u2019s responsible for just about all of the tension in this film.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n As well written as this character is, Nina wouldn\u2019t be nearly as powerful if it weren\u2019t for a chilling performance by Portman. As evident as Aronofsky\u2019s touch is, this is her movie and she deserves recognition for her work. Whether it be earning the audience\u2019s sympathy when she\u2019s terrified she may not get the part or making the viewers cringe at her deplorable behavior, Portman doesn\u2019t just get the job done on screen, she drives that point home so much so you swear you can feel Nina\u2019s emotion yourself. Towards the end of the film, the weight of the situation bears down on Nina so much, she has a hard time breathing. Be sure to take one big breath as you go into that third act because your airways will undoubtedly be restricted, too.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n As for Portman\u2019s supporting cast, it\u2019s simple; everyone is fantastic. Well, maybe not everyone, but it\u2019s more of a character development issue rather than a performance fault. Ryder\u2019s character is just one big clich\u00e9 the film could have done without. On the other hand, Cassel, Kunis and especially Hershey make for fantastic supporting characters, all helping to unravel our main character. Thomas is the most curious of the bunch. While he clearly oversteps his boundaries in the sexual department one too many times, there\u2019s something about his actions that seem totally warranted. It\u2019s mentioned that Thomas has \u201ca reputation,\u201d but at the same time, Cassel portrays him as a brilliant teacher that not only knows what he\u2019s doing, but is genuinely concerned for Nina\u2019s well being, too.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Lily has a similar effect. The threat she poses to Nina is always present, but, like Thomas, she truly cares about Nina. It may not seem like she has Nina\u2019s best interest in mind when she slips something into her drink, but there is a more noble side to her actions, making you desperate for Nina to just open up to Lily and accept her help. Similarly, Erica, Nina\u2019s mother, offers warmth and poses a threat all at the same time. It\u2019s obvious she\u2019s taking her motherly duties a bit too far, tucking her 20-something daughter into bed and bossing her around as though she\u2019s a child, but it\u2019s also hard to deny that these actions are just a mother\u2019s love. When Nina begins to unravel, it\u2019s hard to decide whether you want her to break free of her mother\u2019s clutches or just have a good cry in her arms.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Someone else who\u2019s present throughout Black Swan<\/em> without ever being on screen is Aronofsky and that\u2019s the film\u2019s one major fault. His preference for handheld close-ups comes in handy towards the end of the film when it comes to making the audience literally feel the intensity of the situation, but the technique\u2019s use at the beginning is just distracting. For a good portion of the film, particularly the parts delivering more exposition, it\u2019s hard not to wish he\u2019d just tell cinematographer Matthew Libatique to put the damn thing down and let us see what\u2019s happening for ourselves rather than being forced to look at such a small portion of the action. On the other hand, the choice of going with a super 16mm camera is absolutely genius. Just like The Wrestler<\/em>, Black Swan<\/em> has a beautifully natural look that really complements the material and the effect <\/span>Aronofsky is aiming to achieve with the camerawork \u2013 but not enough to justify so<\/em> many handheld close-ups.<\/span><\/p>\n
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