Intense, gripping, horrific, creative and moving. These are the words to describe Darren Aronofsky’s psychological thriller set in the world of New York ballet. Natalie Portman has certainly matured from previous mediocre performances; her lead role in Black Swan proves she is an immensely talented actress.
She plays Nina Sayers, a member of an elite ballet company – Hugely ambitious Nina lives with her overbearingly loving mother whom also used to practice as a ballerina. When creative director, Thomas (played by Vincent Cassell) lets lead Ballerina, Beth (played by the erratic but wonderful, Winona Ryder) go, he decides to give the leading role to Nina in Swan Lake. The entire film is seen through Nina’s perspective and we learn early on, she isn’t a reliable source for her reality.
Black Swan literally jolted me out of my seat on a number of occasions, the filming defiantly had a Aronofsky’s signature on it – Similar in style to Requiem for a Dream. Nina spirals into a world of paranoia and hallucinations. The arrival of Lily (played by Mila Kunis), a hedonistic member of the group intensifies Nina’s paranoia. The scene when Lily and Nina go out clubbing certainly wouldn’t mesh well with audiences whom suffer from epilepsy – The disco lights provide the audience with glimpses as to what is going on, it’s erratic and intensely hypnotic to endure.
Having seen The Wrestler, there are many similarities, primarily both films focus on the body and what it has to succumb to if one practices an art such as ballet and wrestling. The sheer horror of the Black Swan is it’s focus on the human body, scenes of Nina’s mother cutting her daughters nails to hearing Nina’s bones creek as she practices. Self-harm is also a huge theme of the film and is dealt with very sensitively.
Winona Ryder didn’t get much over twenty minutes of air time but her performance was perfection – Aronofsky’s casting is brilliant, Ryder is the ideal actress for the role of the retired, manic and self destructive Beth. The sequence when Nina visits Beth in hospital to return her possessions is one of the most horrific sequences of the film.
The film also focuses on growing up and sexuality, there is a steamy sequence between Lily and Nina but it’s not random or merely placed in to provide some cheap thrills for Hollywood audiences. Its appropriate and Portman’s performance will shock and move you beyond belief.
The character of Nina is so well composed and believable- The strive for the perfect performance is central to the film. The last act is the most powerful; we witness Swan Lake happening first hand. The shots of the cheering audience’s and the bright lights on stage make the audience come to understand Nina and her strive for the perfect performance.
Many of the sequences of Black Swan paid homage to the classic film, The Red Shoes (1948), particularly the opening sequence of Nina dancing solo on a blacked out stage – The destructive relationship between Nina and Thomas is also similar to The Red Shoes.
The music of the film is exquisite and adds to an incredible build up towards the end of the film – Even though long shots were a favorite with Black Swan when dancing was concerned, one can’t ignore the sheer amount of practice that Portman has put into the film.
This will be a favorite at award ceremonies to come– Natalie Portman can expect a huge amount of success from her performance here. Black Swan is in many ways a flawless Aronofsky feature – It’s a must see. Just don’t expect an easy viewing experience.
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