Out now on dvd/blu-ray

Black Swan, Movie

Black Swan 2010

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A psychological thriller from Darren Aronofsky (director of The Wrestler and Requiem for a Dream). Follows the story of Nina (Natalie Portman in an Academy, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning performance), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life is completely consumed with dance. More

When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina takes centre stage. But there's competition: new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis). Swan Lake requires a dancer to play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role, but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As they expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina gets in touch with her dark side with a recklessness that threatens to destroy her. Hide

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46 votes / 5 comments The Talk

  • 61 %

    Want to See it

    What say you?

    • missy

      seen it, love it, you should too.

    • John

      Creepy and intriguing, recommended.

    • Fredyze

      Haunting but thoroughly intriguing as it draws you in scene after scene!Very highly recommended.

    • foureyes

      more like black turkey

    • motormouth

      looked around at the end and most of the women looking for a lovely ballet movie had their hands in terror over their mouths... funny...

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Flicks.co.nz Review

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Andrew Hedley Flicks Writer

Darren Aronofsky cements his place as one of the most exciting directors working in Hollywood, with this audacious psychological thriller. Using the closeted world of ballet as a stage for paranoia and delusion, Black Swan is a hallucinatory escapade into the repressed mind of a young dancer struggling to achieve artistic perfection. More

Aronofsky continues his naturalistic verite camerawork from The Wrestler, although this time the world is nightmarish and off-kilter, aided by ominous sound design and a colour palette that largely sticks to black and white with the occasional touch of pink – note the frilly decorations and stuffed toys in Nina (Portman)’s childlike bedroom. The claustrophobic, tense experience cribs generously from early Polanski, especially the sexually-charged Repulsion.

As young ballerina Nina Sayers, Natalie Portman offers a career-best performance, portraying her character as a naïve and sheltered loser, unpopular amongst her catty peers and lacking in confidence. The entire film plays out through her eyes and we never leave her headspace – her confusion becomes ours. The supporting characters either attempt to subdue her sexual potential (Winona Ryder, Barbara Hershey) or bait it (Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis).

Black Swan is a theatrical experience. Often thrillingly close to the ridiculous, Aronofsky wants us to buy into the fun. He’s not taking it too seriously. Climactic moments may induce nervous sniggering from audiences but such grandiose camp makes for a flamboyant and vivid contemporary classic. Hide

The People's Reviews

Rating:

46 ratings and 55 reviews

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Review

smac Nobody (?)

Can't it come earlier!? Please!

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Review

Craig Nobody (?)

^^ Agreed!!! Its limited in the US at the moment and will expand to a wide release by Christmas...thats a much more realistic date for the film here.

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Review

Elizabeth Nobody (?)

I really don't know if I can wait that long!!

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Wow...

sui generis Nobody (?)

It was crazy, terrifying, shocking, limitless, and beautiful. It was a true work of art and a cinematic masterpiece.

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Amazing

Ryland Nobody (?)

This is one of the most powerful, absorbing and downright impressive film I have seen in a long time.

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Review

JB Nobody (?)

It's psycho alright. Weird, violent, confusing and absolute crap. Should be R18. The sad pathetic look on Natalie's face the whole movie spoilt it for me and made me want to vomit. The wonderful dancing was sadly overshadowed by the psycho crap.

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Wow...

Ralph Nobody (?)

Dont listen to JB's comments. This movie is awesomely directed, amazingly shot and has a wonderful soundtrack. Best way to describe it... A ride through the mind of a perfectionist with issues.

Go watch it

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Black Swan or Black Dog

angela Nobody (?)

This one is a definite no no for the faint hearted. Single minded ambition in the extreme, a pushy stage mother, combined with repressed emotion mixed up with wonderful music and beautiful ballet dancing. Well it all turns out to be a lethal combination keeping us on the edge of our seat and in a state of tension that Alfred Hitchcock would have been proud of. A real crazy Art Movie saying I wanna shock you and look at the screen as we show you what you don't really want to see or do you? Peekaboo! Boo!

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Brilliant but harrowing

keeshy Flicks Superstar (?)

A fine feast of film-making, but it's not easy to enjoy the step by step journey to complete breakdown. The tone throughout is very serious and tortured as it should be, and you really feel for Nina. Its a great movie but make sure you are in the right dark mood for it.

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Complete crap

JKB Nobody (?)

Portman looks sad the whole film. Crap.

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Review

Sarah Nobody (?)

Boring,slow and drawn out movie. It was predictable and the actress were awful especially Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. Dont see this movie its a waste of time and money. the movie offers no new information from the trailer

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fantastic film!

rm Nobody (?)

the best acting of natalie portmans career, as well as an amazing score and camerawork. DEFINITELY a must-see

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wanna see it

callum Nobody (?)

i really wanna se it couldent u say r13 instead

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Not my cup of tea however

Tyle A-Lister (?)


A fine display of acting by Ms Portman who I think deserves an Oscar.

Quite twisted this film was but very sad.

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Stunning

Dan Nobody (?)

Beautiful cinematography cements the audience's emotion with Portman's, who is practically perfect in her portrayal of Nina. Probably the best female lead performance I've seen in years. Her expression during the climactic Black Swan performance will stick with me for a long time.

Yeah, some of the madness effects are hokey, where others are almost shockingly raw, but the movie revels in this. And it's a downward spiral, sure, but it's still enjoyable. At least we didn't all want to slit our wrists at the end of this, unlike Requiem For A Dream!

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Great performance

Philip-Moore Flicks Superstar (?)

This about Nina played by Natalie Portman who is a ballet dancer getting ready to be in Swan Lake. This is a great performance from Portman who deserves the oscar. Mila Kunis as her rival Lily is very good as well. There are some strange and scary scenes as well as some really well acted scenes. This is a strong film

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Natalie deserves an Oscar!!

Tallis Nobody (?)


Great acting from the very beautiful Natalie Portman who done a excellent job of playing the character.

The story was dark and twisted with some sadness in the film.

Something different I thought in this film considering that I'm into more the action and sci fi films however this was a great story with Ms Portman making this film her own!

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Very Horrific

Ruth Nobody (?)

The trailers certainly dont prepare you for this desolute,self harming and depressing film - I was exhausted after sitting through this movie. Certainly not something I would ever want to see again

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black swan

blondie Nobody (?)

wow its a great movie
its was different but good
for all who hasnt seen it u shoukld go and watch it.

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100 word review

100WordReviews Flicks Superstar (?)

A striving ballet dancer, Nina, is chosen to perform the lead of Swan Lake. She flawlessly plays the purity and the innocence of the white swan, but cannot capture the impulsive promiscuity of the black swan. The movie is heavily metaphoric, and brilliantly displays how Nina’s obsession for perfection bashes her to the brink of madness. It’s intense. Director Darren Aronofsky and Natalie Portman flow beautifully together, showing equal measures of grace and chaos. Mila Kunis also licks her way to a great, contrasting performance. Unfortunately, the movie didn’t connect with me in the way it so desperately wanted to.

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dark

jet Nobody (?)

great director, great actors, beautiful camera work, amazing to get inside the energy of the dance and the dancers. Totally recommend it.

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Yuck

Diedi Flicks Superstar (?)

Yuck it was horrible, couldnt watch a lot of it.
Wont be recommending it to my friends, enemies maybe.
Didnt know it was a horror movie.

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More of an bizarre experience than a 'good' movie

Wice Flicks Superstar (?)

Oh dear. Although I am very glad I saw this movie, I can't honestly say it was enjoyable. Strange, dark, gorgeous - but not exactly pleasurable. A kickback end might have turned it into more of a thriller but for me its intensity was more that of an over melodramatic tragedy. I could say I loved it, but maybe that would be saying more about what I think of myself than the actual movie. Still definitely worth seeing if you love movies.

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Dark and magnificent.

Bonux Flicks Superstar (?)

Poignant movie (there are a couple of horrific scenes but the film itself does not classify as an horror flick), extremely well interpreted. It is by far the best role I have seen Nathalie Portman play in. She definitely deserves an Oscar. Sure you have to be in the right mood for this, but cinema cannot be made only of 3D idiotic movies. If you feel suicidal. For those of us who are not very familiar with the inside World of ballet dancing, it is an interesting perspective, seen as a very competitive and physically demanding (devouring) passion. All the actors were great. The confusion between the reality and nightmares of the main character kept me on my feet. It is a violent movie, the type of violence you do not necessarily expect from Hollywood nowadays, hence some of the previous critics. Aesthetically, it is brilliantly crafted, there are a couple of very rare special effects but they serve the purpose of each scene very well.
Overall, the Black Swan was an excellent surprise. If you were not in the right mood at first place, give it a second chance.
I would like to see the make off of that movie, in terms of acting you can tell it was very demanding (more than The Blind Side... eur no further comments) and Nathalie Portman was truly remarkable.
No doubt the Black Swan should be nominated at the Oscars in several categories.

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My review

Bonux Flicks Superstar (?)

I meant to finish my sentence: if you feel suicidal you might actually end up leaving the theatre light hearted. It is a dark movie in the sense that it describes a very tormented passion. I strongly recommend the Black Swan for anyone remotely curious or anyone who does not expect the usual tear jerking or those salacious feel good moments that today's cinema serve us cold and flavourless.

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Stylistically perfect, but....

Kat2 A-Lister (?)

As per all other reviews - I think this film was dark(not as dark thankfully as Requiem for a Dream or The Wrestler)with a wry twist to it all. Mis en scene was composed exquisitely, expressionistic lighting showing up contrast and shadows deepened the mood. Unfortunately a little too obssessed with the sexual repression of the character which tapped into gratuitous scenes that could have been suggested without the graphic detail. Aronofsky was being a little too indulgent in his own fantasies I think. Portman was good but Kunis actually is who is more authentic in her role and therefore should be getting the acting prize. Portman pouts way too much and forces the angst just a tad too much. Storyline gaps are irritating (Mother with crunched knuckles after daughter has ugly as tanty, shows up at the final inaugural show anyway...) More answers needed (what was real is left way open to interpretation)...Aronofsky does have weird mother fixation (as per Requiem for a Dream)...Hmmmm.
Anyway, it is a good watch in spite of obvious storyline eventuation and stereotypical characters. Do try it, as I have seen much, much worse.

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A strong movie

GrahamP Flicks Superstar (?)

This movie was a 5 star for me at first but went downhill towards the end.Great acting and directing which made it intence.It is worth going to see but can be confusing at times.It left a lot of what happened to the viewer to answer after it finished.

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  • Stew

    Hmm... you make an interesting point. Would you care to expand

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Simply jarring and awesome

JamesN B-Grader (?)

I loved this movie. I saw requiem for a dream a while ago so I knew I was in for a raw thriller. Natalie Portman was brilliant and deserves the Oscar. What an intensely thrilling experience. More please...

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Superb

Gayle-Unkovich Wannabe (?)

Dark and intriguing (what is fact and what is fancy?) and plays out like a slowly opening blossom - and who really knows at the end what that flower conceals?

Natalie Portman is superb and I've heard that she practiced for the role, day in and day out, for a couple of years! Such dedication; and my pick for the Best Actress Oscar this year!

I am definitely not a ballet fan, but I could appreciate the artform through this movie. I found Black Swan stimulating and thought provoking but concede that this is not a film for airheads or teenagers (or a lot of blokes - I've heard of a few falling asleep during it!)!

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Shocking, exhausting, amazing

Tom-OHawk Nobody (?)

Very rarely has a film left me feeling so shocked and exhausted, but in the greatest way possible.

Natalie Portman's performance was amazing, and Oscar worthy. Darren Aronofsky has an ability to make his audience feel exactly what he wants them to, throughout every moment of his films. It can be very unsettling but I don't believe many films are able to offer such an intense experience.

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Natalie Portman should get the Oscar!

kiwisara Nobody (?)

The story is good, the cinematography and direction are great, and Natalie Portman is simply amazing! Not the best movie I've ever seen, but Portmans performance is very convincing as the tortured ballerina striving for perfection.

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Refreshingly dark

steveisatree Flicks Superstar (?)

The film captures a side of life, b****y, posh ballet dancers, that is unbearable. Aronovsky captures this with passion, Natalie Portman plays the lead beautifully. I recommend this film, to learn a way of life to avoid.

Also to enjoy a fantastic, dark, film.

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Brilliance

ineedpants B-Grader (?)

One of my absolute favourite movies of all time. Flawlessly acted, not just by Natalie Portman, but the entire cast.
Dark and disturbing in so many ways. Every relationship is twisted and tortured. Plays with reality and is multi-layered, allowing for the audience to interpret the movie's subtleties within their own frame of reference.
I've heard people complain about how uncomfortable they felt while watching it, but, to me, that discomfort is a major point of the movie, so I suggest that the audience embraces that discomfort in order to experience the movie as it is intended.

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Chaotic Brillance

Morgan-Maskell A-Lister (?)

Natalie Portman finally fulfills her potential to carry a film, and Mila Kunis takes a step into becoming a serious actress - This may well be due to Aronofsky's direction.

Every shot is manipulated - Is it real? Is this real? Or is all in Nina's head? There are so many interpretations to this film, which is part of the reason it is such a fantastic film. You can never completely say whether some scenes are in Nina's head or completely real.

The cinematography is oscar worthy - it is invasive and the editing puts it all together so well. The audience can fully appreciate Nina's paranoia and fragile mental state.

On the other hand, it seems there are some possible undeveloped storylines - especially with the mother. There may well be original scripts or deleted scene that involved her some more. I felt like their relationship, possibly the origin of how it ended up in this dynamic, needed some more explaining. Black/White symbolism is used as much as possible, but in the end it is a gripping story as Nina taps into her dark side to finally be 'perfect'

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Brilliant

Stew Nobody (?)

This really is a brilliant film. Nataloie Portman certainly deserves to take home the Oscar for her role. Aronofsky should also take home the Best Director gong but given the way the Baftas & Golden Globes have gone it would seem this is destined to Fincher. A shame as while overall I think SOCIAL NETWORK is a better film, Aronofsky made his presence felt in BLACK SWAN in such a way as to be noticed but not annoying. Very well directed.

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It's Creepy

Jade-Francis Flicks Superstar (?)

This movie is so weird. You dont know what is real or what is fake, the movie keeps you on your toes. Natalie Portman does an excellent job in her role. I do think the movie is a bit overrated. I feel there was way to much going on and wanted some bits to get it over with.

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  • Pauly D

    OH YEAAAAAAAAA!!!

  • RgBk

    I disagree here - I wouldn't call it pretentious because it's having too much fun. I think this movie has its tongue in its cheek.

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A Crusty Ballet Movie...

EmoAngel B-Grader (?)

You will not be allowed to forget that this is, essentially, a ballet movie. So it's the seamier side of the Arts complete with anxiety/ambivilence/anarchy there's a bit of weird and angry sex thrown in to peak your interest and at the end you'll get a clever bit of CG to tie up the loose ends and complete the picture of the neurotic diva suffering from artystic dyscord - NYT called it a phantasmagoric freakout... lol, how pretentious, kinda like this movie, SOoooo NY

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A thriller, to be sure

Brian1 Flicks Superstar (?)

An imaginative play on the lives of ballet dancers, the pressures they subject themslves to and impact of those pressures.

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  • Fran

    thanks for letting know me she died douche bag.You shouldn't put spoilers int he review.

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An awesome messed up chick flick!

daveyboy A-Lister (?)

This movie totally plays with your mind & was basically 'messed up'. However it was totally captivating & mesmerising. Gotta say the last 15mins of the film are outstanding & the end performance she gives is incredible. Portman does an excellent job playing a nutcase! The movie is kinda sad too, don't really feel she should have died but what the hell...

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  • Tim Rider

    That is why it is genius - the symbolism and depth. Your mind is too simple

  • Jaspreet-Jador

    That's kind of the point of the film. It's suppose to have an element of confusion and symbolism which makes it so great.

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BOOOOOOOOOOOORING

Xxc0rtxX B-Grader (?)

Will not be watching this when its on DVD, It reminds be of those movies that you are MADE to watch at school because there are lots of symbols. During the movie your sitting there thinking What the?! but at the end once you have talked about it your like "oh that's what that meant??" I don't know what all the hype is about.

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  • Tim Rider

    Is English your second language? Maybe it's not a good idea for you to write.

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THE ART OF ACTING

Emily-Gooch B-Grader (?)

Natalie Portman the highlight of her career no doubt, and a nice little baby on the way to boot. She was amazing. The movie built around her character. Portmans interpretation of the timid, shy, good hard working waif of a girl is aware that she must leave herself behind if shes going to get anywhere. Facing the harshness of the performing arts and being singled out to take the lead is the ultimate dream for her. Loved this movie. As a ballet mum with a daughter who did 12 years ballet the discipline is gruelling, hours of practice with little praise. Understood this movie completely. She deserved the Oscar. Congrats to Natalie. Cinematic photography brilliant. My guess Natalie did ballet when young, could be wrong. The arm work was perfect. It takes years of conditioning. Worth it... perfect.

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Brilliant

Freemansbayer B-Grader (?)

Who would have thought a ballet flick can be so disturbing? I wasn't sure about watching it at first, though I had mostly heard good reviews - but I absolutely loved it. Amazing performance by Natalie Portman (not usually a big fan of hers, bu she was terrific in this). And this was definitely one of those films that had me thinking about it for a little while after. Loved it.

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Brilliantly freaky!

BrionyJae Flicks Superstar (?)

I have to admit, psychological thrillers are my personal favourite movie genre. Having said that, I don't feel biased at all in saying that is was actually pure genius!

The ballet side to the movie gives it an extra twist - you don't need to know anything about ballet to watch it either. There are many brilliant subtle hints and symbols that leave your mind boggling... and the musical score just makes it all the more thrilling! There were a couple of truly freaky moments, I almost couldn't watch! Highly recommended, Natalie Portman does a spectacular job - and I hope she puts all the weight back on that she lost for this role!!! :)

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  • Tim Rider

    Mad respect? Lol

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Natalie Portman's star performance

el_bad A-Lister (?)

The super-creepy special effects in this movie were awesome and I thought they perfectly emphasized Nina's deteriorating mental state. I especially liked the final performance, where Nina literally spreads her wings.

Natalie Portman has an amazing range, and I have mad respect for her portrayal of Nina. I knew ballet dancers like Nina in high-school - often they were sheltered and controlled by their stage-mothers, and were childishly innocent and naive, spoke in a whispers and were incapable of interacting with peers, boys and girls alike. By no means is this a ballerina stereotype, but I recognised in Natalie's performance some of the dancers I knew at school. Nina's character was pathetic and frustrating, and moments of redemption only seemed to come when she was in the midsts of her psychoses.
I thought Natalie had a really good handle on her character's type, and after seeing her in No Strings Attached (which is actually quite good), where she plays a character that is the complete opposite of Nina, I have decided she is one of my favourite actress. Her Oscar for Black Swan was well-deserved.

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Film of the Year!!

Allo2JasonIsaacs A-Lister (?)

A deeply disturbing, enthralling and visceral tour de force; Portman's performance is simply breathtaking.

Portman's portrait of how the quest for perfection turns into a personal journey into the Heart of Darkness is utterly compelling and unforgettable.

Graceful, brutal, beautiful and horrific.

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Genuinely Creepy and Close to Perfect

THEWATCHER A-Lister (?)

It's a tribute to this film's quality that 2 months after its release it can still fill a medium size theatre at Rialto Newmarket on a Saturday night.

The Academy loves to give Oscars to actors who transform themselves for roles, and in Black Swan, Natalie Portman utterly transforms her body to become the ballerina whose drive for perfection almost kills her. Her performance beautifully channels Mia Farrow in ROSEMARY'S BABY and is exceptional.

She is supported by an excellent cast and a script that really knows both its genre (psychological thriller) and its world (elite ballet).

The direction too, is very, very strong. Aronosfky is making a specialty out of studying obsessed individuals in very specific worlds. And here he uses a lot of the techniques that he explored in THE WRESTLER - hand held observational camera work, total focus on the main character, grainy 16mm stock. But he ramps all that up spectacularly with both brilliant tension and some truly shocking visuals.

The domineering mother in the film brings to mind the domineering mother in de Palma's CARRIE. Living her life through her daughter, trying to repress her sexuality. And the creature transformations feel like a wink to Landis' AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON. All wrapped up in the arch, sophisticated airs of the New York ballet.

This is a seriously good film, and is really a 4 and half star movie.

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Meh...

Darryn Wannabe (?)

I had been gagging to see this film for months. Natalie Portman is one of my alltimefaves but, even though I knew what the story line was and had seen the trailer, I just couldn't engage with it.
Natalie and Mila Kunis were exceptional but Vincent Cassel seemed stiff, as if he was 'acting'.

I'm not sure if this was a case of high expectations not being satisfied but it left me feeling like I just needed something else.

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  • Tony Sriamporn

    YOU PRETENTIOUS TWAT. This was one of the best films of 2010/2011 and the cinematography and every thing is just amazing. So please.

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Pretentious and blah

Gambit70 A-Lister (?)

Self indulgent and tedious.

Natalie's acting was actually pretty good, and Mila was ok too. So what was the problem?

The movie does keep you watching... trying to figure out what how much is real and how much is in the poor girl's head.. but ultimately the movie is just plain unsatisfying.

At the end I was torn between "WTF?" and "I just don't care"

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  • Sophie

    I completely agree, the acting was superb but the storyline was ridiculous, nothing compared to requiem for a dream.

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Didn't live up to the hype

Jenna-Burlace B-Grader (?)

Although the acting performances were brilliant I thought the storyline left something to be desired. There was little character development (the lead character starts off unlikeable and a little unhinged and gets more so in both regards) - I found it impossible to empathise with any of the characters.

The story was also fairly predictable - there were no big surprises - and I found the symbolism a bit "film school" - obvious and not very well developed.

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Wooah

Jaspreet-Jador Nobody (?)

This was a movie I definately wasn't expecting to be so deep. Quite horrific but VERY interesting to see something different for a change. Thought that Portman did an amaazing job in her role. Big thumbs up.

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Didn't know what to expect but WORTH IT

JayC4Shaw Flicks Superstar (?)

I'm telling you right now - If your one who doesn't like to see "into" a movie or behind the upfront intentions of what the director is showing you, you will HATE this movie.

The story behind the story drawing glimpses of her past and hints of her future are trully encaptivating. I loved it.

Very awesome and grand! beautiful dancing really. And very very beautiful story. Loved it!!!

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No ugly duckling...

adamatdramatrain Flicks Superstar (?)

Darren Aronofsky, like Chris Nolan, is a great director. The woefully 'Fountain' pretentiousness 'The Fountain' aside, I loved 'Requiem for a Dream' and 'Pi.' 'Black Swan' runs as a kind of twisted evil twin to Powell and Pressburger's 'The Red Shoes' and cinephiles who know that movie will get oodles more from this psycho-ballet-noir. Dark and disturbinbg, beautifully performed and directed, this is like David Lynch's 'Blue Velvet' goes ballet. Gripping, haunting and oddly old fashioned - James Mason and Dirk Bogard wouldn't be out of place. Don't go if you don't like melodrama - you'll just find it's over-the-top histrionics and swan-fuelled hysteria a tad hard to swallow. But give yourself over to it and it's great...

Look at that, a whole 'Black Swan' review and I didn't even mention the pervy scene between Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis... Oh! Wait a minute... Dowh!!!

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Press Reviews

Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

A full-bore melodrama, told with passionate intensity, gloriously and darkly absurd. It centers on a performance by Natalie Portman that is nothing short of heroic. Full review.

Dominion Post (Graeme Tuckett)

Director Darren Aronovsky has a way with the grand gesture and the doomed protagonist. In Pi he had his lead character drill a hole in his own head, rather than spend another day tormented by being so good at maths. Full review.

Empire (UK)

An extraordinary, intoxicating movie. Its hard, twisted edges may turn off some, but there's no faulting either Aronofsky's technical mastery or Portman's flawless performance. Full review.

Guardian (UK)

Natalie Portman excels in this gripping ballet psychodrama... Full review.

Hollywood Reporter

Indeed, White Swan/Black Swan dynamics almost work, but the horror-movie nonsense drags everything down the rabbit hole of preposterousness. Full review.

New York Times

Black Swan is visceral and real even while it's one delirious, phantasmagoric freakout. Full review.

Total Film (UK)

The most toxic, rapturous, melodramatic, operatic movie about a mentally disintegrating ballerina you’ll see all year… And featuring some of the best dance sequences ever. Full review.

Variety (USA)

A wicked, sexy and ultimately devastating study of a young dancer's all-consuming ambition, Black Swan serves as a fascinating complement to Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler," trading the grungy world of a broken-down fighter for the more upscale but no less brutal sphere of professional ballet. Full review.