From the first scene, ‘Black Swan’ transports you into the dark recesses of a ballerina’s mind as she prepares for the role of a lifetime; a chance to enact both the white and the black swans in ‘Swan Lake’. Darren Aronofsky’s psychological exploration of the mind of an artist leaves you spellbound as it shows you what being ‘in-character’ really means.
The plot revolves around a young ballerina, Nina Sayers. Her single-minded devotion to her craft as well as her mother’s drive lands her a lucky lead part in ‘Swan Lake’, as Odette, the princess who is turned into a swan by a sorcerer Von Rothbert and Odile, Rothbert’s daughter who tricks Odette’s lover Siegfried into cheating on Odette . When Odette discovers this, she decides to end her life because she cannot live without Siegfried. Nina, while being adept at portraying Odette, the white swan, finds it difficult to get in-character for Odile, the black swan, the one with trickery, lust and deceit.
The story of ‘Swan Lake’ is superimposed on Nina’s life as her Siegfried is the role, Rothbert is her jealous mother and another promising ballerina is Odile. How she prepares for her role and the toll it takes on her life is what the film explores.
This film has one of the most outstanding screenplays you will see. The camera is never more than a foot away from Nina’s face almost throughout the film and is deliberately kept unsteady for the viewer to experience the disquiet in her mind. The dance sequences are captured, not from afar, but by following Nina at close range as she moves around the floor.
The manner in which Nina takes in the story of ‘Swan Lake’ into her own situation and how it reflects on her performance is expertly captured. There are several questions, especially about her mother’s jealousy of her and their relationship, that are left to the viewer’s imagination and that adds further to the intrigue. This is the power of cinema at its best. Darren Aronofsky richly deserves plaudits for an expert work.
The film belongs to Natalie Portman. Her physical fit into the character as well as her psychological fit are just perfect, in a demanding role that depicts the insidious influence of a role on life. Her ‘Best Actress’ Oscar was richly deserved. Mila Kunis as her competitor too delivers a splendid performance as an edgy and free spirited person who brings the same into her dance, something that Nina struggles to do.
Watch ‘Black Swan’ for it is an outstanding work of art.