Review: Black Swan

There have been few movies this year that I have told myself I needed to see.  There have been even fewer of those movies that I have actually managed to drag myself out to see.  One of the movies that I knew I had to see this year was Black Swan.  Not only did the premise of the movie entice me, but evermore did the director.  Darren Aronofsky's last movie, The Wrestler (2008), was an incredible story of anguish and I still think, to this day, that Mickey Rourke should have won over Sean Penn for Best Actor.  Suffice to say, Aronofsky has taken a much more psychological twist with Black Swan; where The Wrestler crushed your spirit, Black Swan plays with your mind. 

Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers, a veteran ballet dancer in New York city.  The movie begins at the start of another fiscal year for the dance studio and Portman is striving to be The White Swan in their production of Swan Lake.  However, once she arrives at the first day of rehearsal, her director, played by Vincent Cassel, informs them that instead of casting two people as the White Swan and the Black Swan, he will be casting one person as both.  Portman embodies the White Swan perfectly, but can't manage to carry the weight of the Black Swan.  As her director puts it, Portman is precise and has perfect form, but the Black Swan loses herself in dance and seduces the audience.  The entire movie goes through the motions of Portman struggling to embody both Swans at once and become the Swan Queen.

As the audience watches Portman's struggle it is often hard to tell what is reality and what is not.  Quickly you become aware that Portman's passion for dance is more of an obsession that engulfs each breath she takes, so much so that it beginning to take a toll on her body and mind.  This, without doubt, is the strongest part of the film.  You want Portman to succeed in becoming the Swan Queen, but in order for her to do so, you must watch her crush the person she once was and become someone entirely different.  The movie is wrought with emotion and Portman is convincing for each and every second of it.  Her supporting cast does a decent job as well, although it is clear that none are of the same caliber as Natalie Portman (save for Barbara Hersher, Portman's controlling mother and former dancer).  Mila Kunis doesn't do anything spectacular through out and is used more as a pivot point to facilitate Portman's gradual transformation. 

The cinematography of the entire film is great as are the special effects.  The cinematography plays with various angles and lighting effects which heighten the psychological thrill of the movie.  The special effects, while never exceptionally grand, meld into the scenery of the movie flawlessly and continue to play with the audience's mind.  However, possibly the strongest extra to the movie is its score.  While the whole movie is based around a ballet, the ever present symphony orchestra makes it seem as though Portman is constantly on stage.  As she runs through the streets of New York, she is contantly followed by the timbre of strings and brass. 

Black Swan, up to this point in time, is the best movie I have seen this year.  The concept and thrill is refreshing, as is each and every psychological twist.  Portman excels at the part she is given and I would be shocked not to see her name appear as a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2011 Academy Awards as it is easily her best performance to date.  (In fact, I would consider Portman winning an apology for Mickey Rourke not winning in 2008.)  Aronofsky's should also be up for Best Director, as should Clint Mansell, the composer of the film's score.  While the film may make some people uncomfortable and may leave others scratching their heads, it is undeniably one the best movies released this year and should be appreciated not only as an incredible film, but as a work of art.