Black Swan

Well, I had heard this film was a little bizarre, but that was putting it mildly.

It took a lot to follow this film as a lot was going on, some of which I wasn't sure if it was real or not.

Anyway, Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers, an aspiring ballet dancer. Sayers has been doing her best to become the perfect dancer and be noticed by Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) in hopes to further her career (not in a sexual manner, but in a dancing manner).

As the season draws near the dancers find out that Beth Macintyre (Winona Ryder), the main headlining dancer for years, is being forced into retirement. So, her position would be up for grabs.

Just as Sayers believes that this may in fact be her time to shine, a new dancer arrives from San Francisco, Lily (Mila Kunis). Lily is the opposite of Sayers, as she is a beautiful dancer, but doesn't stress and is more free-flowing, to Sayers' perfectionist.

Both are, as well as a few others, are chosen to tryout for the Swan Queen in the production of Swan Lake the company is putting on. Leroy watches Sayers performance and she knocks it out of the park - but he believes that she is only good enough to play the White Swan, not the much difficult Black Swan - but as the lead she would need to play both.

I don't think I am spoiling anything here (but if you think I may stop reading), but Sayers does manage to claim the part of the Swan Queen. And, this is sort of where things get crazy.

Sayers lives with her mother, Erica (Barbara Hershey), who is a former dancer herself, but never made it - possibly due to the fact that she got pregnant with Nina and had to stop dancing. It becomes pretty clear that they have an odd relationship, and that Erica may have a few screws loose.

With the dynamic between the two of them, as well as the major stress that comes from trying to become the best Swan Queen she can be - Nina becomes a little crazy herself and a lot of things begin to happen - as I said above, some of those things I had a hard time following if it was real or not.

I must say the film was a decent watch. I am not a huge fan of dance movers, especially ballet, but due to the amount of other things that were happening in the film I was able to get through it. As much as it was about ballet, it really wasn't - so that helped.

I did enjoy the movie, but I am not sure if I would ever watch it again. Perhaps I will once more to see if I missed anything that was happening, because there was an awful lot of things happening.

Portman was great in the lead role, and Kunis did a bang up job as her complete opposite - the more rogue ballet dancer. I always enjoy seeing Cassel in roles as I really began liking him in Ocean's 12.

Grade: