Black Swan
Run time (Excluding trailers): 108 minutes
Rating: 15
Stars: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis,Winona Ryder
“I Had The Craziest Dream Last Night. I Was Dancing The White Swan” This was something that was soon to be a reality rather than a dream for Nina Sayers (Portman) a ballerina in a New York City ballet company and like her equals her life is consumed by ballet. She lives with her former ballerina and obsessive mother who continually pushes Nina to become the ballerina she always dreamed of. Nina replaces Beth (Ryder), a beautifully talented yet ailing ballerina, as Swan Queen in the ballet group’s production of Swan Lake. Artistic Director Thomas Leroy decides to cast Nina as Swan Queen as she has all the elements and purity to be the White swan, Princess Odette. However she lacks the dark, seductive quality to be the black swan, Odile, daughter of an evil magician. Nina is thrilled with her role, except newcomer to the company Lily (Kunis) shows all the potential and grace to be the Black Swan. The two rival ballerinas develop a dark and twisted friendship against the odds which becomes reckless and has serious consequences and physical changes for Nina. Will she be able to secure her role as Swan Queen? Or will her rival/fantasy lover lure her and whisk that ever important role from under her feet? Or will her obsession to be the perfect ballerina become too much for her?
Darren Aronofsky is the incredibly talented director behind this master piece. He beautifully paints the image of the dark and twisted side to ballet, a long distance from the fairy-tale ideals of ballerinas and love stories. The writer for this magical psychological thriller is the wonderful Mark Heyman. His creative and outstanding writing makes you feel lost in what’s real and what Nina is imagining. The characters Mark wrote are the total opposite of each other with a twist of darkness in them, which is why it works so flawlessly.
Natalie Portman has one of the most demanding lead roles throughout her career; she has really peaked during this film. It is clear to see the lengths she has gone through to shine in this film. There is a noticeable difference in her weight, and there is definite history of some form of dancing as she truly looks and moves so elegantly like a true ballerina. This dark, sensual, dramatic and captivating role is the opposite of Portman’s personality, a true testament to her acting.
Mila Kunis has previously been in a lot of television programmes such as Family Guy, Walker Texas Ranger, Baywatch and many more and handful of films. Meaning she has a first-rate and varied experience in the industry, however she really has hit her stride in this film. Many Film/TV enthusiasts will have seen her work and seen her progress but this is the film people will refer to as “That girl from the Black Swan”. The chemistry between her and Portman is excellent, the dark mysterious rebel character suits her very well.
This is a very dark, deep and damn-right mysterious film. It’s written in a way that will have you thinking for days on end. As you’re watching it you find yourself lost in the world of ballet and rivalry, pondering over what is real, what is in the twisted imagination on Nina and what will happen next. It is one you ought to go and watch. The tense and chilling atmosphere of the audience adds to the experience and makes it even better.
