How do you get girls to go see a psychological thriller movie? Make it about a ballerina. But then how do you get guy to go see a movie about a ballerina? Have a lesbian scene! I feel like these are the kind of issues director Darren Aronofsky had while making this film. Also I think he wanted to scare any young girls dream of ever becoming a ballerina.
Natalie Portman is Nina. She’s timid, innocent, and has just scored the lead role in Swan Lake. But her director tells her she needs to live a little and loosen up. However, she loosens a few too many screws in her head if you ask me. Nina soon becomes convinced her new friend, played by Mila Kunis, is out to steal her part. She begins seeing scratches all over her body that aren’t really there, and she thinks everyone she sees looks like her. Nina has to try and hold it all together till opening night when all the world will see her become a star.
Aronofsky has directed such films a Pi and Requiem for a Dream and this film falls right in with the other two. Nina’s hallucinations of trying to figure out what’s real, and what isn’t, is enough to just make you give up half way through the film and just go with it. I did enjoy the small effects throughout, such as Nina’s patches tough skin as she becomes more confident and her picking feathers off her body when he gets wrapped up her role.
The film’s story also seems to coincide with the story of Swan Lake as well. I’ve never seen Swan Lake so I’m not sure how much of the music was from the ballet and how much composer Clint Mansell made himself, but I liked it. The film’s score had a very dramatic tone to it during Nina’s times of stress, or triumph in some cases.
The buzz on this film has been stirring for weeks now, mainly about the performances. Mila Kunis is said to be up for a possible Best Supporting Actress nomination, but I don’t see it. She just plays another one of her bitchy girl roles like when she started on That 70’s Show. Don’t get me wrong, she was perfect for the part, but nothing I felt that flexed her acting muscles or challenged her. Winona Ryder, however, was a supporting actress who surprised me as the old ballerina that Portman’s character replaces. Ryder’s part was small, but I felt very strong. Definitely better than her trying to act like a mom in Star Trek. She’d be great example for kids. She can teach them a trade like shop-lifting.
All the credit of this film I feel goes to one person; Natalie Portman. Nina’s crazy emotions where all over the place in this film, and Portman brought them out like a pro. Portman played a shy girl and a sexy girl. She cried, she danced, and you never knew what face she was going to pull out of her bag of trick next. Portman has come a long way since her first role as a child in The Professional, but I always enjoying seeing everything she does. She seems serious about acting, but doesn’t take herself too serious. She is also a Harvard grad, and smart girls are hot.
I read in Entertainment Weekly that Portman’s Oscar chances may dwindle because of her light-hearted movies coming out within the next few months. But I’d much rather see an actress win an Oscar who can do drama and comedy than one who only does movies she thinks she’ll win an Oscar for. You can go see this film in theaters if you want, but much like Aronofsky’s other films this is best viewed alone in a dark room, maybe a little high, and some tissues by your side; for various reasons.
Rating: B-
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