The Black Swan

Originally when I heard about the brilliant Natalie Portman in the new film Black Swan I was careful as to which opinions I took into account. I was pleased to find that my judgements remained accurate as the Black Swan was pure genius on Portman's behalf, not only did she do the majority of her own dancing, but the role was not acting it was a character. The intensity of the character was perfectly done; the irritable but gracefulness of Portman's character was incredible.

The Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky is a beautiful depiction of the intensities that come with the elegance of ballet. The Black Swan is a film that takes a new spin on the classic Swan Lake. The part of the black swan is given to Portman's character, Nina Sayers. Nina struggles in identifying the opposite role in the dark and evil black swan, while the graceful white swan seems to be a piece-of-cake.

The film is tangled with sexual desires between Nina's rival dancer Lily, played by Mila Kunis, and the ballet companies director Thomas Leroy, played by Vincent Cassel. With the urge of perfection Nina has a difficult time balancing the pressures of her over-bearing mother, Thomas, and the inner struggles of her developing psychosis. The part of the black swan is both dramatically shown through her grueling ballet rehearsals and the demands of Nina's life. The fight to find her inner white swan and the evil black swan takes a toll on Nina and drives her mad. Through her struggle to find the black swan, Nina also realizes that she must find herself.

The film starts with an innocent ballet dancer, going to sleep in what seems to look like a 12 year-olds bedroom, filled with stuffed animals and childish ballerina jewelry boxes. Nina has a mother who once was a ballet dancer herself, now spends her life worshipping and caring for her daughter, who is probably in her mid-twenties. The story continues with the intensity of Nina's nonstop practices, and the disturbing love interest of Nina and Thomas, and Nina and herself. From her home to the ballet company each place she goes seems like a jail; dark, cold and lonely, the films depiction of a disturbed life is perfection.

The Black swan in not only an interpretation of a ballerina, but it is a story of finding oneself. Black Swan is a dark tale of a disturbed girl, striving for perfection and doing whatever possible to have her much deserved role. The film seems like it is a fight against her rival dancer, but the truth of the story is, it is a fight against herself.