Darren Aronofsky pulls back the curtain on a more sinister view of ballet

As people, we thrive on our talents to bring us to greatness. No matter how good some of us become, we always try to reach that high level of perfection that we believe will fulfill our dreams. But through reasons that none of us can control, there will always be someone who's better. In the world of performing arts, competition is the name if the game. With so many that want to make it to stardom and worldly recognition, only a few are able to do so. That need to be in the spotlight can consume us. In Darren Aronofsky's deliciously disturbing ballet thriller, Black Swan, he delves deep into the mind of a young dancer who forces herself to connect to her dark side in order to give the finest performance she can.

Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) deticates her life and love to the art of ballet. She is vying for the coveted part of the Swan Queen in the New York City ballet company's latest production of Swan Lake. When Nina's director (Vincent Cassel) chooses her to dance as the Swan Queen, he knows that she has the innocence and grace to play the White Swan; but isn't sure if she has the attitude that's needed to play the malevolent Black Swan. After the director chooses a newer member of the company, Lily (Mila Kunis), to be the Swan Queen understudy, Nina begins to show paranoid behavior. Thinking that Lily is trying to take the part of the Swan Queen, Nina slips into uncharted territory of her personality, and will use that to bring out her inner Black Swan.

This film is a worthy vessel for Portman's talent. Her performance is transformative, and quite literally at times. We see her go from an angelic young woman to a sensual sprite, all for the sake of her artistic achievement. Nina spirals down through a rabbit-hole of insanity, and pulls us down with her. At some point in our lives, we've wanted to take our specific talents to the next level, and be all that we could be; and Portman's portrayal of a girl whose need for perfection is her Achilles' heel is instantly relatable. With Mila Kunis, you wouldn't be able to tell that she did mostly comedy up until this point. She puts in as much effort as Portman does in order to channel another side of herself. Kunis is the seductive force of the movie. With her soft voice and striking eyes, we are entranced by her, just like Nina.

Barbara Hershey, as Nina's mother, has joined the ranks as one of the most spine-chilling parents in film history. At times, she is a serene and loving person. In other moments, however, she is a manipulative control-freak towards Nina, and has a dangerously unhealthy obsession with her. Winona Ryder makes a brief, yet effective appearance as Beth, a ballerina who was once a star; but is now replaced by Nina. With Beth's depression at being cast aside, and Nina's enthusiasm of being put in the spotlight makes for an interesting out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new correlation. Vincent Cassel is very intimidating as the ballet director who looks for only the best in his dancers. He pushes and pressurizes his students until they turn in the performance that he demands.

There is some superb camerawork by cinematographer, Matthew Libatique, in the film; especially in the scene taking place during Nina's opening night. When she's on stage as the White Swan, the camera follows her every move, and we're given an up-close-and-personal view of the performer that the audience at the ballet wouldn't normally see. Then, as Nina comes out as the Black Swan, the camera continues its dancing with Nina, and we see the complete alteration of her mentality that she has experienced throughout the course of the film. There is one scene where Nina and Lily begin dancing in a night club, and it's probably the most intoxicating part of Black Swan. With the constant flashing of the strobe lights, editor Andrew Weisblum uses them to place split-second images that seem to be out of someone's distorted dream. When Nina hits the dance floor, the viewer joins her descent into a nightmarish state-of-mind.

The screenplay, written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin, is a thorough vision of the physical and mental tolls that can take hold of an artist when they don't have anything but the need for a faultless performance on their mind. The desperate need to be in the spotlight can ultimately consume them. Black Swan endows the audience with a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on backstage in the world of ballet. A viewer of ballet or broadway productions marvel at the talented cast that tell the story; but they never clearly know what is going on in the performer's mind. By having Swan Lake as the ballet company's production in the film, the screenwriters are very resourceful in using that to draw some inventive parallels between the plot of the actual ballet and the plot of the movie. As in his previous films, Darren Aronofsky has the ability to show his characters at their lowest and most vulnerable. For him to be able to achieve that when his main focus is a ballerina, someone who lives and breathes the utmost form of art, is an unsettling wonder.

Final grade: A