The Black Swan Review

I will first and foremost admit that I have become very lame recently. I would estimate that I saw approximately 4 movies in my 3 years living in Boston. Since June, I have seen over 6 movies in NYC. I would attribute that to getting sick of the club/bar scene for the most part.

While I am somewhat of an avid movie watcher, I don’t have a lot of movies that I can say SHAKED me to my core. After having seen The Black Swan on opening night, I will say that the movie rocked me, entirely and I can’t stop thinking about it.

There’s no doubt in my mind a) Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis will win Best Actress/ Best Supporting b) That I will be seeing it again very soon

I think there were so many twists, dark eerie psychological moments and just plain intensity that no matter what type of knowledge you have about ballet, you will fall hard for this film.

I think Natalie Portman showed such raw vulnerability in this film — she herself is a porcelein doll within the Hollywood scene — always flawess and perfect to the public eye. Much like her real world, Nina, her scarily naive ballerina character in the movie lived life in fear and insecurity. She strived to be perfect, which in her eyes, encompassed being 90 pounds, throwing up meals, never being sexually involved with anyone and living at home with her mom to focus her entire life on her ballet. It eventually took over her life and her sanity.

While Nina strived to become the Black and White Swan in the Swan Lake, she was never able to break out of her own rigidity and need to maintain her fragile life. Mila Kunis’ character, comes in and just demonstrates everything that Nina herself wants and wishes she could be but can’t — she’s sexual, carefree, eats what she wants, does drugs, but most frustrating is that she’s a better dancer.

Throughout the movie you are scared, a bit grossed out and perhaps at some times (during the heavy sex scenes with Mila and Portman) a bit turned on. Mila absolutely had her breakout role in this film. She was heavy, moving and most of all convincing.

I will absolutely recommend this movie to anyone who has a sense of insecurity at times and or feels personally inhibited from things they wish to do or what they at times want to be themselves.

The Black Swan is horrific, twisted, dark, heart wrenching but more over, the best movie I have seen in years. See this movie now.