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BLACK SWAN (2010): Knowing your feathers

December 26th 2010 13:41

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Black Swan is a confrontational and intense psychodrama about a rather prim ballerina portrayed by Natalie Portman (V for Vendetta, The Other Boleyn Girl), all set on a journey to discover her dark side as she dives – head first – into her spotlight performance. Pressured to embody perfection under the steady gaze of her control-freak of a mother (a fabulous Barbara Hershey, Lantana, Beaches) who keeps her in a suffocating pre-pubescent bubble, Nina auditions for the doubly challenging role of both white and black swan in a new version of “Swan Lake” being put on by her dance company.

Natalie Portman and Vincent Cassel in Black Swan (2010)

Vincent Cassell (Irreversible, Brotherhood of the Wolf) is very effective as Balanchine-like, sleazy but perceptive company director who gives Nina her big break. Resented by bitchy fellow dancers, especially the now ex-prima ballerina Beth (Winona Ryder, in an ironically cathartic performance), and teased and manipulated by newcomer Lily (Mila Kunis, The Book of Eli, That ‘70s Show), who seems to be her liberated polar opposite, Nina develops strange symptoms. All that pressure needs to be released somehow, and the build-up towards the plot climax is increasingly tense.

Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis in Black Swan

Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis let their hair down in Black Swan (2010)

Learning the art of seduction proves to be a considerable obstacle for Nina, and her director has no scruples whatsoever to do whatever is needed to elicit the performance he both needs and knows his new prima ballerina is capable of delivering. Portman looks convincingly emaciated and fragile in the role, much like a porcelain ballerina trapped in her music box. Attempting to integrate her shadow self is quite a ride, involving pain and sacrifice, as Nina increasingly loses herself in her newfound centerstage role. Innocence soon gets corrupted and what rises out of the depths of emotional turbulence is quite a different bird, so to speak.

Natalie Portman pulls all the stops in the title role in Black Swan (2010)

Black Swan has already been showered with Golden Globe nominations in all the top categories, and Academy Award mentions are soon likely to follow. It is beautifully shot, superbly acted and, in its plotline, reminiscent of other films about tortured performers - Esther Kahn (2000) and the classic All About Eve (1950) come to mind, with a little bit of Hitchcockian and Lynchean inspiration thrown in. Taking us deeply and intimately into Nina’s twisted world, talented director Darren Aronofsky (Pi, The Fountain) focuses on exploring the issues of self-imposed limitation, control and repressed sexual desire as well as mental disintegration - all converging on the canvas of performance, as everyday and ballet realities become increasingly blurred for Nina, whose very life is indeed a stage.