Black Swan (2010)
US 108m, Colour
Director: Darren Aronofsky; Cast: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey
The Black Swan is an intimate and visually complex psychological thriller about Nina – a young, anxious and delusional ballerina with an inclination for self-mutilation owing to the pressures of her over protective mother and a personal obsession to perfectly perform. In winning the lead in a new production of Swan Lake, Nina is driven by the director of the ballet to look into her dark side in order to play the emotionally demanding role of the “Black Swan” which drives her to new depths of emotional instability. Portman’s terrific and wonderfully disturbing performance as the deeply troubled dancer is by far the best part of what is a relatively slow-moving production which is otherwise not particularly all that interesting (Klaus Ming February 2011).
I think I liked it more than you did, but I can’t argue about the pacing…it was slow. That said, if Portman walks off with the prize this Sunday, I certainly won’t be unhappy!
Yeah, i didn’t really care for the movie – not so much the slow pacing, but rather the unnecessary explicit visuals were a bit much for me. Although do appreciate Portman’s performance – and I suspect that she will win the Oscar.