'Black Swan' is about a ballet dancer (Portman) who wins the leading role in the production of "Swan Lake." However, Portman's character, Nina Sayers, is all about perfection. She spends hours and hours making sure every move is just right. But the director, played by Vincent Cassel, wants to make the performance edgier than ever before, and he really pushes Nina to perform both the angelic white swan but also be able to let go of her rigid perfection with the evil black swan. The immense pressure starts to get to Nina, and with that comes feelings of paranoia, doubt and fear.
Portman is one of the few actresses I truly enjoy watching on film. She has played so many different roles in her career, many of them being strong-willed characters, but here she is playing a fragile and meek dancer... and I instantly believed it. She can easily convey so many complex emotions with grace and ease. Not to mention the strange metamorphosis she undergoes during this particular film. It's incredible to watch.
Mila Kunis plays Lily, another dancer in the ballet who exudes sex appeal and charm. It becomes clear to Nina that Lily is able to portray the black swan with much less effort. At one point, Nina fears Lily is trying to usurp the role of swan queen. The two leading ladies make for an interesting dichotomy on screen, and Kunis delivers an equally convincing role.
Both actresses began training for the roles six months prior to shooting in order to attain the proper body type and tone for a ballet dancer. They underwent daily exercise regimens and dance training (several hours a day) along with a strict diet of 1,200 calories a day. It was reported that Kunis actually got down to under 100 pounds. Although that all sounds pretty hardcore, I think it ultimately paid off and made the movie look that much more authentic.
Intense and haunting, this film takes the audience through a psychological nightmare that will leave their nerves shot and minds blown... and possibly needing a hug afterward.
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Genre: Mystery & Suspense, Drama
Synopsis: A ballet dancer wins the lead in "Swan Lake" and is perfect for the role of the delicate White Swan - Princess Odette - but slowly loses her mind as she becomes more and more like Odette's evil sister, Odile, the Black Swan.
Rated: R
Running Time: 1 hr. 50 min.
In Theaters: Dec 3, 2010 Limited
Box Office:$95.9M
Running Time: 1 hr. 50 min.
In Theaters: Dec 3, 2010 Limited
Box Office:$95.9M
Distributor:Fox Searchlight
Directed By: Darren Aronofsky
Directed By: Darren Aronofsky
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