Review:
Black Swan

Black Swan is the much-anticipated new movie about the world of ballet starring from acclaimed film director Darren Aronfsky. Aronfsky’s previous film The Wrestler resulted in a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination for its lead actor Mickey Rourke; expectations are high that this new film will lead to similar accolades for its lead Natalie Portman (in fact at the time of writing she has already won the Golden Globe).

The titular Black Swan is Odile, the dark female character from the famous ballet story of Swan Lake. In the film Natalie Portman plays Nina Sayers, an accomplished ballet dancer working at a New York theatre who dreams of an opportunity to do more than play a supporting role. When ballet director Thomas Leroy (played by Vincent Cassel) decides to put on a new performance of Swan Lake and forcibly retires aging ballet star Beth Macintyre (played by Winona Ryder) in favour of a newcomer, Nina sees her chance. The problem is that Leroy wants the same dancer to play both the part of Odette the White Swan and Odile the Black Swan, and he doesn’t believe that Nina is capable of both.

The truth is that Nina has long been smothered by her mother, who was also a dancer, and who gave up her career to have her daughter. Nina has grown up taking her dancing so seriously that she knows little of the larger world. She simply doesn’t know how to relax or let herself go - she is a princess, not a rebel. Nina however makes a connection with fellow dancer Lily (played by Mila Kunis) who embodies everything that Nina herself is not. As Lily shows Nina how to tap into her dark side, the story of Swan Lake becomes a metaphor for Nina’s internal conflict. Can the two sides or her personality co-exist, or will one swan live at the expense of the other?

Similar to his approach with The Wrestler, in Black Swan Aronfsky presents a gritty, realistic world focusing on both the physical and mental hardships that ballet dancers must endure in the course of their profession. Also in a manner similar to the way he portrayed the fights from his previous film Aronofsky brings the camera right up close to the dancers during their performances, finding an intimacy unrivalled by any theatre audience. Portman herself is the beating, bleeding heart of the production – drawing on her previous background as a real-life ballet dancer she provides a physically and emotionally daunting performance. The other cast members each deserve a nod but they are vastly over-shadowed by comparison – this is Portman’s show from start to finish and she deserves credit for what will likely come to be recognised as the most outstanding role of her entire career.

The themes of Black Swan won’t necessarily appeal to everyone but this is far from a chick flick. This is not a film about ballet, but a film about transformation, loss and the toll exacted in pursuit of perfection. Movie aficionados would do well not to miss one of the best films of the year.