Black Swan Review

                                                           2 1/2 Nuts

Director: Darren Aronofsky          

Black Swan is Darren Aronofsky’s most recent film and although it has met high acclaim from the critics, this disappointed critic feels quite differently.  For those of you who like Aronofsky’s earlier works there should be no trouble falling in love with this tale of ballet.  The film is about Nina, played by Natalie Portman, who an incredibly dedicated ballet dancer.  Her ambition drives her to aspire for the roles of both the black and the white swan in her dancing company’s upcoming production of Swan Lake.  When newcomer Lily enters the scene as another promising dancer, Nina perceives her as a threat which quickly evolves into an obsession.

The film speaks to me in some ways and not in others.  The part that fascinated me the most was observing what it is like to be a ballet dancer; the physical toll it takes on the human body, and ultimately, in Nina’s case, the mental toll it takes on her mind.  The viewer gets to see how much dedication and perseverance went into becoming a dancer and how it can completely consume your life.  Everything else about this film; her obsessions, her wicked mother, and Nina’s spiral into insanity, seriously disturbed me. This I believe is Aronofsky’s goal and he executes it well. I have a feeling I am not the only viewer who will see this movie and walk out wondering what I am supposed take away from it.  For me, this film was simply the protagonist falling downward until she hits rock bottom.  It left me feeling sad.  However, if Aronofsky’s intention was to depress then he succeeded.

Having said that, Portman’s performance is different from anything she has done before. We get to see her act on a higher caliber, playing this role brilliantly.  She also is beautiful and rather pleasant to look at.  As I watched I just felt bad for the main character and hoped that her circumstances would improve.   

Aronofsky is great at directing these types of films. It is shot skillfully and can be rather creepy at certain parts.  The movie pained me and I felt terrible for the main character, Aronofksy defiantly accomplishes his portrait of despair. 

In a peanut shell: Many people believe that there are some great movies that can only be watched once.  For me however, I’m not entirely sure a film can be defined as great if I have not even the slightest interest to see it again.  I found no hope from this film, no underlying message that said ‘hey things will get better’, however I guess not even all American made movies have happy endings.