While I am by no means a ballet fan, I was nevertheless very intrigued by the strong critical praise surrounding Black Swan, with many claiming that Natalie Portman had given an Oscar-worthy performance. Now, I have always had a bit of a prejudice against Portman since her god-awful acting in the Star Wars prequels, but films like Garden State, Closer, and V for Vendetta have proven that she has rightfully earned a place in Hollywood. As for Mila Kunis, her performance opposite Portman was also being lauded by critics, and she has been growing in popularity with audiences ever since a breakthrough role in 2008’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall proved that she was capable of much more than just voicing Meg on Family Guy. Apparently, both Portman and Kunis trained in ballet for several months prior to filming to develop a convincing presentation for the film, and based on critical reaction, it looked like they more than succeeded. Yet, aside from the trailers telling me that Black Swan was about competing dancers and that it contained strong acting, I really had no idea what to expect as I walked into the theater.
Granted, I knew Black Swan wasn’t going to be a comedy, but in no way did I expect the psychological horror/thriller angle the film was going to take, bringing some of the most unnerving scenes to the screen that I have ever seen. Director Darren Aronofsky blends the cinematography and scoring brilliantly, building a tension and uncertainty within the scenes that is sure to make even the toughest audiences members squeamish and uncomfortable. In terms of acting, as expected, Portman and Kunis were phenomenal, playing off each other to bring the characters of two ruthlessly competitive dancers to life. However, Portman alone brings acting to a whole new level, as her indescribably psychotic portrayal of the insecure lead ballerina now makes her a very strong contender for the Best Actress Oscar. As much as I enjoyed Black Swan, I can concede that it is not for everyone, as the psychological angle becomes a little too overbearing and the story itself doesn’t match the intensity of the characters present, but the unique acting performances alone make this film worth seeing.
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Overall Recommendation: High
