Black Swan

Rated R [Strong sexual content, disturbing violent images, language and some drug use]
Run Time: 108 min.
Release Date: December 17, 2010


Alright, so it's time for my first movie review. I chose Black Swan because I hadn't seen it yet and I kept hearing so much hype about it. I also figured for my first review I'd try to start with something a bit challenging and Black Swan is definitely a movie that is hard to sum up. That being said, I won't be using any spoilers, so for anyone who hasn't seen it, you're safe to continue reading.

CAST
Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan is a divine film with decent storytelling. Aronofsky's previous movies include Requiem for a Dream (2000), The Fountain (2006), and The Wrestler (2008). All are hauntingly beautiful films and Black Swan doesn't fall short. It stars Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers, the fragile, dedicated ballet dancer. Mila Kunis as Lily, Nina's opposite and threat for the limelight. Vincent Cassel as Thomas Leroy, the artistic director who tries to break Nina of her perfections. Barbara Hershey as Nina's mother, Erica Sayers, the obsessed mother who relives her ballerina days through Nina, and Winona Ryder as Beth Macintyre, the former Swan Princess. Portman brilliantly portrays Nina, in a role that requires much. She had to not only take herself to a level of madness she has never been to in previous roles, but she also had to train to be able to do the dancing required for the film, which she mastered beautifully.

PLOT SUMMARY
Nina Sayers has been a dedicated ballerina most of her life, but that's not enough. She wants to be in the spotlight as the Swan Princess for Pyotr Tchaikovsky's “Swan Lake.” She's lives with her mother who tries to relive her ballet days through Nina by being obsessive of Nina's career. Thomas Leroy, the artistic director for the ballet company is looking for a new Swan Princess, since forcing his former pupil, Beth Macintyre, into retirement. He wants Nina to be the Swan Princess because she can play the part of the fragile, white swan perfectly, but when it comes to the black swan, she just can't seem to let go of her perfections. Despite this, Nina receives the role of the Swan Princess and everything seems to be falling into place for her when Lily, another ballet dancer, joins. Lily is everything Nina isn't and an amazing ballet dancer, which makes Nina fear her role for Swan Princess is in jeopardy. This fear sends Nina into a craze.

DIRECTOR
As with Aronofsky's previous films, Black Swan causes a sort of uneasiness that is felt through the entire film. In Requiem for a Dream, we see the characters downward spiral as a result of drugs, the only difference with Black Swan, is that the spiral is a result of the compelling desire to be perfect. Aronosfsky's other previous film, The Wrestler, has the same theme as Black Swan, which is lives being ruined by demanding careers. Aronofsky has a beauty to all his films that can be felt even if what we are witnessing may be harsh or uneasy. The directing is flawless, which is nothing less then what I would expect.

SOUNDTRACK
The soundtrack for Black Swan is composed by Clint Mansell, which is the fifth collaboration him and Darren Aronosfsky have done. The soundtrack features much of the music of Tchaikovsky's ballet, but with Mansell's own suspenseful twist. The soundtrack is a dark and unforgettably beautiful masterpiece, the kind only Clint Mansell could handle. Two of Mansell's tracks I would recommend listening to are “A Swan is Born” from the Black Swan soundtrack and “Coney Island Dreaming” from the Requiem for a Dream soundtrack. The tracks are at the end bottom of this post.

CINEMATOGRAPHY & WRITING
Matthew Libatique's cinematography in Black Swan is perfect. The over-the-shoulder shots make you feel as if your witnessing something you shouldn't be. As Nina drifts further into her madness, the rotating shots make you feel just as confused and chaotic as Nina is becoming. The writing however, is where Black Swan falls short. Everything about this film is so beautifully done but the screenwriting just seems too bland. The story feels like it is rushed a bit and therefore it solely relies on imagery, which isn't bad, but in a movie that exceeds in most aspects, I feel the writing should have held up to the rest.

CONCLUSION
Overall, I would give Black Swan a 4 out of 5 penguins (not stars). It was a very good film. I hated ballet, but this film really made me realize how much goes into it and I definitely have more respect for the kinetic arts. This film is haunting. It's so disturbing that it catches the viewer off balance while watching. I'm not the kind of a person who gets scared or grossed out by movies, but there were definitely a few scenes that made me uneasy. CAUTION to viewer, try to go to your happy place after this film. Hope you enjoyed :3

-sNix

Black Swan Original Score - Clint Mansell - 14 - A Swan Is Born MP3 Download