Stephanie's Friday Movie Pick: Black Swan

Black Swan
Release Date: December 3, 2010
Rated R (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey and Winona Rider


Summary (Courtesy of IMDB):

Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

Black Swan is a psychological thriller starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. Portman plays a young ballerina named Nina who has no life outside of dancing. Her company's first ballet of the season is Swan Lake and the director has decided to replace their prima ballerina (played by Winona Ryder) in favor of young blood. Of course, he is quite impressed with Nina but she has competition in the form of Lily, the new girl. Each of them fulfills part of the lead role perfectly.

As they begin to become friends through their rivalry and the opening performance gets closer, Nina gets in touch with her dark side.

Its difficult to say what exactly draws me to this film. I have always enjoyed movies that involve dancing so I am curious to see how this one turns out. Will Nina be the one to play the Swan Queen or will Lily steal the lead role out from under her? Is Lily even real?

The reviews for the film have been very good. People will enjoy this peek into the life of a dancer in a New York ballet company. As Nina becomes more unhinged, the audience will see how life in the spotlight can unravel a person's mind. As the movie is directed by Darren Aronofsky, it will have a visual style that leaves the viewer breathless.