Review of film: "BLACK SWAN" ( about problems in a ballet company )

Review of film:  “BLACK SWAN”

Is this “Swan” movie an “UGLY Duckling”, or a film that’s “for the BIRDS”?...

…  Nina Savers (NATALIE PORTMAN) is a ballet dancer trying very hard to win the principal role as the “Swan Queen”.  The previous “diva” of the company, Beth Macintyre (WINONA RYDER), has grown old & out of favor with the company director, Thomas Leroy (VINCENT CASSEL), & is obviously very angry over something he’s done…

…  While Vincent wants the world to think Winona has “retired”, it appears the opposite is true, since he always seemed “poised” to get what he can for himself from other people…  He very clearly tries to put “MOVES” on Natalie to “help” her win the role she covets…

…  Although Natalie isn’t very “accepting” of his gestures, she nevertheless keeps coming across as “FRAGILE” & “WEAK” (as Vincent himself puts it), & she keeps fearing she won’t get the role she wants… 

…  Meanwhile, her mother Erica (BARBARA HERSHEY) is clearly OBSESSIVE in her treatment of Natalie & her career--  quite possibly because she herself once was a similar dancer & seems to be living at least “VICARIOUSLY” thru her daughter…

…  All of a sudden, Vincent brings a new dancer, Lily (MILA KUNIS), into the company from San Francisco.  Vincent keeps telling Natalie (who almost always is dressed in white) that she’s very good for the “WHITE Swan” (good person) character in the ballet--  but, she leaves a LOT to be desired for the other part of the role as the “evil” twin sister the “BLACK Swan”…

…  “Oddly” (-- or premeditatedly --), Mila just “happens” to almost always appear dressed in BLACK, & acting with possibly “evil” intentions in the way she keeps making SEXUAL & associated gestures towards normally-“adrift” Natalie…

…  All the while, Natalie keeps suffering bouts of RASHES & BLEEDING that are unexplained & seem to “disappear” as quickly as they appear on her…  Her relationships with people all seem very tentative & “confused”…

…  Vincent keeps becoming more “conniving” in his treatment of Natalie after he “appoints” her for the lead “Swan Queen” role she wanted:  He consistently COMPLAINS about what she does in the “Black Swan” role, saying that she never really let’s herself “GO”, which he feels is an essential element the character demands…

…  Unlike how he is with Natalie, Vincent is not similarly complaining about the work of any of the OTHER company members.  He never finds fault in anything done by her dance partner David (BENJAMIN MILLEPIED --  the actual choreographer of this film, & --  “GOSSIP ALERT!” -- currently the real fiancé of Natalie & reportedly the father of her unborn child)…

…  In any case, there are an increasing number of “PROBLEMS” that arise in the life of the character Natalie plays--  and a corresponding upsurge in UNEXPLAINED events that keep surrounding her…

…  Natalie sees Mila putting some drug into a drink for her.  Will she DOWN the glass, & if so, what will happen?...  Since Mila also covets the main “Swan Queen” role, WHO will actually have it by the time the show is presented to the public?...      

…  What will happen in the tense relationship between Natalie & her overbearing mother Barbara?...  What are the CAUSES of Natalie’s bleeding & rash?...  What shocking developments we see are REAL rather than imagined by the main characters?...

…  Overall, this is a CLEVERLY constructed concoction by director Darren Aronofsky.  He got excellent acting from his main stars.  Natalie is deserving of an OSCAR nomination for her “delicate” & “agitated” performance, & Mila & Barbara might well warrant consideration in the Supporting Actress category…

…  I found the film fascinating, & feel it will likely be one of the nominees for the Best Picture OSCAR.  But, I do NOT feel it should win:  While it’s very well done, I feel it’s sort of TOO “manipulated” & overly VAGUE with a number of the “tentacles” of its story lines… 

…  It’s a very admirable study of complicated emotional feelings-- but it periodically comes across as overly “sensationalistic”, & I didn’t find it “satisfying” at its end.  Thus, I rate it at 8.5 out of 10 stars (tho that might madden a number of people!)…