A show-stopping performance

Black Swan (2010)
Certified: 17
Duration: 108 minutes
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Vincent Cassell
KRS release

Darren Aronofsky has made it a habit of directing masterpieces that deal with pain, suffering and morbid flights of the imagination. His Requiem For A Dream (2000) and The Wrestler (2008) are prime examples. Black Swan sees him back with a firmer hand and increased control. The result is one of 2010’s best films.

The dark and foreboding film will have its audience reeling from bouts of insecurities, tics of nervousness and pity for the central character. Natalie Portman delivers a show-stopping performance, ending the film with a tremendous 15 minutes that are a culmination of the repression and abuse that her character goes through in the film.

Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is a very promising and dedicated ballerina. She lives with her mother, Erica (Barbara Hershey) who was once a dancer too, in New York. The latter is obsessed with her daughter’s career and this sometimes leads to her daughter feeling frustrated. Nina’s company director, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassell), wants to make some changes and thinks it is time the leading ballerina, Beth (Winona Ryder), retires. Meanwhile, the company is preparing a new version of Swan Lake for the opening of the new season.

Nina is one of the candidates that Thomas believes can fill the role. He also believes that another ballerina, Lily (Mila Kunis), has an aspect to her that would make her fit the role too. The chosen ballerina has to play not just the White Swan character but also the Black Swan character which is more transgressive in nature. This is not a character trait that belongs to Nina as she always tries to be mama’s good girl. However, Nina gives it her all, and she immerses herself fully into the character; so much so that soon she starts questioning her own actions and reality. She starts to change into something different that could lead to a very different Nina, one that could possibly be very much insane.

Under Mr Aronofsky’s guidance, Ms Portman is impeccable in a role that many would not have envisioned for her. This is a woman undergoing a mental breakdown; her vision of reality, of the people around her and of herself is pretty twisted. She is neurotic, obsessed and putty in mama’s hands. She seems to be frigid, does not know how to handle men, has lesbian tendencies and mentally seems to be living on two or more different planes of existence.

Nina’s fixation with her body, her legs, her constant scratching and her self-punishment is painful to watch. This is in keeping with Mr Aronfsky’s films as he places his actors through a physical and mental grinder. Ms Portman’s performance is nothing short of breathtaking and she truly deserved the best actress award at last Sunday’s Oscars.

However, The Black Swan is not only her show. Mila Kunis is sexy, alluring and a very dark rival. Vincent Cassell is lecherous, sleazy and controlling as the company director. Winona Ryder is perfect as the burnt-out former ballerina diva.

Ballet may look like a graceful show on stage but Mr Aronofsky goes backstage. He gives us a film that is as good as Roman Polanski’s at his prime and what he delivers is quite unique. Ballerinas are competitive, vicious and obsessed with their weight. The tutus may be frilly but there is nothing frilly about this film as we are given a window into the blood-drenched neuroses of a petite, sexy ballerina.