'Black Swan'

“We all know the story of Swan Lake. An innocent virgin girl has a curse set upon her turning her into a White Swan, and only true love can break the curse. She lusts for freedom, and falls for a most handsome prince. The prince falls in love with her counterpart, the Black Swan, and the prince is seduced by the Black Swan. Heartbroken the White Swan kills herself to be free and break the curse.”

Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is an innocent, fragile, up and coming dancer who expects to be cast for the role of the Swan Queen. Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel, Eastern Promises) though has plans to cast the White Swan and the Black Swan as the same dancer, which immediately brings complications with Nina being naturally precise and gentled nature. “If I was only casting the White Swan you would get the part no question, but I am not.” Nina feeling she did not finish her audition, attempts to convince the director she is right for the role. Her attempt was in fact successful due to a physical interaction. As the story progresses Thomas announces the new face of the ballet company, as well as the old face retiring, Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder).
During the unsettling retirement of Beth and tragic events following her leaving the company, a new member from San Francisco has joined Lily, the Black Swan (Mila Kunis). As time goes on Nina is struggling to transform into the Black Swan, the motive of Lily attempting to replace Nina is quickly becoming apparent. Thomas has a homework assignment for Nina after introducing her as the change of the company. To touch herself, an assignment which is the start of Nina’s new irrational, rebellious, sexual, and even schizophrenic nature. This psychological thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky resembles that closely of the actual ballet Swan Lake.

Black Swan is easily one of the year’s best films. The acting of Natalie Portman is sublime because of her own transformation and work ethic as an actress. She not having been a ballet dancer and training for seven hard moths has obvious proven her well. Her acting ability is now up to elite because of her naturally innocent nature however her blossoming into a psychosexual schizophrenic role. Ms. Portman though is not the only one in this film doing substantially well. For a few years there has been a debate Natalie Portman will not receive a nomination but why? Is it her acting? No she has proven herself with movies such as Garden State and V for Vendetta. The reason for not being nominated or yet winning the award is she has not shown any sexuality and still acted innocennt, being childish until she has proven wrong to those nay sayers. She is a shoe-in for best actress.

Barbra Hershey, Erica Sayers, whom plays the mother, has a controlling nature which is hard to watch. Through her performance of only being in five scenes, she should instantly get a nomination if not being an Oscar winner. Her performance reveals most dancing protégés have mothers who were once successful dancers and their dreams are crushed due to giving birth to their own pride and joy. Their reason for pushing is simply the children will live the dream and achieve the opportunity they had. This film as well shows the intense pressures dancers face with their parents, crack their bones, and turning on their hind heels.

Mila Kunis as well deserves an award for being such a seductive and pivotal role in Black Swan. She, in fact, is a symbol itself of the unreleased side of Nina. Nina grows paranoid because the seduction Thomas continues to talk about that the Black Swan has. Mila Kunis is even brought in to unleash the loose and passionate side of Nina. Mila Kunis should however, may not get a nomination.
Even the disgraced almost uninsurable Winona Ryder should deserve a nomination for her determination and crazed role as a retiring ballet dancer. She has only a few scenes just as Barbra Hershey does and has a scene which is quite frankly unbearable to watch due to the vulgarity and gore of the scene.

In conclusion, Black Swan has incredible symbolism, such as the scars on Nina, her habit of cutting herself, feathers coming out of her body, her knees breaking into a swan, the tattoo of wings of a bird and many more. While beating one over the head with well done symbolism, Aronofsky’s interactive film-making has finally come to much use. With a camera that follows Portman and Kunis to capture their dancing prestige, show the director’s motive, Nina’s paranoid schizophrenic attitude, and the use of splitting images using mirrors. Finally the use of colors, in the beginning using childish colors such as white and as the progression of the white swan into the black the colors become red and black. Excellent acting, directing, writing, lighting and mental anguish cause this film to be the single best of the 2010 year. A