Black Swan
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel
Rated: R
Running time: 103 minutes
Something bad is going to happen. From the moment the film starts, the foreboding is thick and not a moment goes by that you don't have the distinct feeling that something bad is going to happen and it's going to happen pretty soon. This is the world of ballet, where people push themselves to the brink to perform, and that is not always enough.
The story begins with Natalie Portman dreaming that she is dancing Swan Lake. She then awakens into her life as a long-time company dancer who traditionally lands only supporting roles. With the recent chewing up and spitting out of the company's biggest star, Portman gets her chance to audition for the lead role.
For those (like myself) who know nothing of the Swan Lake story, the role requires you to play the "good" white swan as well as the "seducing" black swan. Portman's character is a technically perfect white swan but lacks the passion and "let-it-go" attitude necessary for the black swan.
Enter the company's new dancer, Mila Kunis, who is the exact opposite and therefore a threat. This is all well and good, but when you mix in a loony, smothering mother and a questionable ballet director with a heavy dose of psycho-thriller drama, what you're left with is quite a brilliant story of someone losing one's mind for one's art.
Blurring reality with hallucinations and dark undertones throughout, Black Swan is a fantastic film that will leave you wondering just what the heck happened, long after you've left the theatre.
