Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! This movie is definitely an Oscar contender!
Black swan is a fascinating physiological thriller that will take you through the disturbing story of a ballerina dancer. In the beginning it seems like a documentary that follows the physical and psychological demands of a ballerina’s life, the ambition and the discipline to become perfect, the rivalry among the dancers and the excruciating process of auditioning.
And then the movie becomes a non conventional dramatic portrait of an introverted young girl tormented by her over protector mother and her shattered dreams of fame. You see how this ballerina tries to release herself from her restrained life in order to have new experiences, she finds a girlfriend, and she discovers an unknown sexual freedom in her. The movie shows an intense lesbian sexual scene that leaves you breathless.
Suddenly Black swan starts to showing some signs of suspense and enigma, you don’t know what’s going on, you get confused and you start second guessing yourself because there seems to be two realities involving the main character. And that’s when you get it. She’s damaged, she‘s living in the duality of her own existence. The search for perfection leads this ballerina to an extreme mental disorder that makes her unpredictable.
The entire story gets to a climax during the performance of Tchaikovsky’Swan Lake ballet. I am going to spoil the end for you by saying that the final scene is one of the best moments in cinema history.
Director Darren Aronofsky manages to create a masterpiece of art. Everything about black swan is compelling; the art direction, the cinematography, the script, the music. The actors are just above praise; Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Vincent Cassel and Nathalie Portman in the role that will define her acting career and it will probably get her an Oscar statue.
Here I give you the synopsis extracted from Black Swam Website:
Black Swan follows the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter‚s professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice.
But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.
