With a Golden Globe in the bag, can Natalie Portman now grab an Oscar as her swan song (sorry!) before she takes some time off when her baby arrives?
Black Swan is a movie that demands your attention. Not as much as something like Inception, but certainly you need to pay attention as this movie gracefully runs riot on the screen in front of you. So, is this movie all about swans? Well obviously it is…kinda. The movie follows Nina Sayers, a ballet dancer, who is on course to take the lead role in Swan lake. Said lead role being the White Swan (who has oodles of innocence and grace) and at the same time, the role also involves playing the Black Swan who is a bit more cunning, darker and sensual. Then Lily (Mila Kunis) turns up and also impresses the artistic director. Lily personifies the Black Swan and Nina does the same with the white swan. The two dancers become rivals and embark on a bit of a bizarre and dark friendship. While all this is going on, Nina starts slowly descending into madness and is thoroughly obsessed by her duel roles.
Black Swan will certainly leave an impression on the audience. From it’s limited colour palette and a stunning performance from Portman this is something that will have you talking for hours afterwards. Besides it’s look and style, the performances here are, just like their onscreen counterparts, are entirely consumed by their respective roles. Firstly Mina Kunis (Yes, Meg Griffin’s voice from Family Guy) plays a blinder and the intensity that burns within her eyes alone are something to behold. But it’s Portman who raises the bar. By the end of the movie she has completely descended into outright madness. Her transformation runs throughout the movie, but it’s incredibly subtle and organic as it unfolds in front of you and that’s testament to a great performance. And credit where it’s due to Kunis and Portman, they really bust backsides on the physical side of performing as well. I’m not a fan of Ballet at all, but I’ve a new found respect for what these dancers go through and indeed a new found respect for Portman in particular who not only dances like a pro, but lost alot of weight for the role as well.
Darren Aronofsky has shot this beautifully. It’s hard to fault it really, it really is a thing of beauty. The movie plods along quite nicely and your never left hanging about. To boot, Aronofsky really gets inside your head with this and by the time the final curtain falls, your left a little bit bewildered. Then you regain your bearings and the discussions start about what actually transpired over the last 100 odd minutes.
Black Swan will not be everybody's cup of tea if truth be told. Sure there’s violence and the much talked about lesbian scene, which is incredibly erotic as is the masturbation scene, and to be fair it never feels sleazy or just “there for the sake of it”. At times though it feels a little abstract, but it’s a very rewarding movie if you stick with it. And that reward comes when the credits roll! A stunning and undoubtedly award winning performance rounds off what certainly is a compelling watch. This is one of the most beautiful ways madness and obsession has ever been portrayed.
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis
Running Time: 108 minutes
Certifificate: 16 IRE, R USA, 15 UK
Released: Jan 21 (IRE)
