Into the Mouth of Madness

Rating: 10/10 (3 May 2011)

Whenever I sit through a Darren Aronofsky film, I always feel like I've just been hit by a train at the end! His movies are usually assaults on our psychological make-up. I dare anyone to sit through REQUIEM FOR A DREAM or BLACK SWAN and not feel overwhelmed afterwards. Both films delve into the darker sides of the characters and we're brought along for the ride. In BLACK SWAN, we're invited into the world of professional ballet. And we meet Nina, the protagonist, who's been doing ballet all her life (though it's more than hinted that her domineering mother forced her into it.) Nina is quiet, perfection-driven, and most likely virginal. When she gets the part of the Swan Queen in Swan Lake, Nina must somehow find a way to display both the White Swan (forlorn, looking for love, graceful) and the Black Swan (seductive, insane, domineering, powerful.) As practice goes on, we learn more about Nina's life and psyche as it starts to take a downward spiral. In fact, it seems that her own life is becoming the story of Swan Lake. By the end, we can all but tell she's gone over the edge. Not being a ballet fan, I have little knowledge of the art form. However, being a performer, I can understand where the character of Nina comes from. Whether you're a ballerina, a musician, or an actor, there comes a time when you're no longer the normal, average person. That person has stepped out and has been replaced by the character or persona. It's quite difficult to maintain two or more roles at once, especially when you also have to contend with everyday stresses, like work, relationships, and bills. However, the greatest performers are able to disappear into their roles and present to us the truth of their characters. Nina has simply taken it one step further, as we watch her crazed and tragic ascent and descent into the role of a lifetime. Natalie Portman does a tremendous job, as always. Mila Kunis does an equally stellar job as Lily, her rival. In fact, the whole cast was spectacular! From an artistic standpoint, I liked how most of the color scheme was on the gray scale, with a few dashes of pink, red, or green to highlight crucial moments. Once again, Darren Aronofsky astounds the senses with tricky shots and surreal imagery. This film is not for the light-hearted who are looking for cheap thrills. But for the rest of you, take the journey into the mouth of madness!