Only director Darren Aronofsky could make a psychological assault a rapturous experience. Black Swan's attack on its main character (and the audience) is like unraveling a ball of yarn; the first pinches at the string are difficult and painful, but gradually it all becomes a fulfilling roll.
Black Swan follows Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina who wants to be perfect. Nina has a fragile self-confidence that extends into her dancing, so when she is cast in a role that requires her to move both delicately and with a sexual confidence, she must transform herself. She must also contend with polar opposite and rival dancer Lily (Mila Kunis), whom Nina envies, hates, and lusts after.
Nina's lifestyle only permits things that aid her dancing. She lives alone with her mother (Barbara Hershey) who grooms and commands Nina like a child. We see how tightly her mother's jowls clench Nina when we learn her mother is on a first name basis with the secretary at Nina's ballet company, and see the sickening familiarity with which she puts Nina to bed and turns on the music box. This home is Nina's "normal."
Because Nina and the audience are forced to return to this home every day, we never return to a feeling of safety. So when we see Nina scratch the ragged flesh on her back, tear off her toenail, pass herself on the street, or witness her ballet company's director (Vincent Cassel) sexually abuse her, our tension never fully dissipates. After awhile "disturbing" becomes our "normal" and when we watch Nina's reflection in the mirror move differently than Nina we simply accept it.
We also accept this warped reality because Aronofsky's frequent hand-held and behind-the-head shots make us feel closer to the character. Then in the scenes that contain intensely private moments - like the scene where Nina is masturbating - Aronofsky somehow manages to raise our tension and give us a minor reprieve with laughter.
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Article comments
1 - unimpressed.
This film was so in-your-face it left nothing to the imagination and instead of being a haunting, intelligent tribute to the tumultuous world of ballet, I found it disturbing and a bit ridiculous, to be honest.
Natalie Portman was okay. Just, OKAY. She looked scared most of the time and otherwise sweet. She was a white swan. The acting wasn't there, the story wasn't there. I think the best part of it was probably her 'understudy' who was at least engaging to watch.
I couldn't believe Natalie Portman, she left me bemused and quite annoyed in her performance as an actor and as for her ballet steps, she was decent but hardly believable as a prima ballerina. Her face, her actions, her movements did not convince me.
The film could have been good-it could have been great and I was so disappointed. There is an art to subtlety, an acknowledgment of one's intelligent audience that was lacking. I do not appreciate being slapped in the face by sex, drugs and alcohol without being carried by a decent actor.
2 - El Bicho
"Only director Darren Aronofsky could make a psychological assault a rapturous experience."
Watch a couple of David Lynch films and get back to us.
3 - 2dreviews
So ... you're elated when Naomi Watts is backing away from the old people screaming?
4 - Sunny_Gal_
I made a BIG MISTAKE of going to see this with my parents. I thought that we were going to see a film about a ballet start. Instead it was a porno with graphic masturbation and lesbian sex. I could have died in my seat...