Lose Yourself.

Rating: 10/10 (25 June 2011)

When I started to hear that director Darren Aronofsky was beginning to work on his follow up piece to his stunning 2008 film The Wrestler, (which is easily in my all time top ten movies) my interest in the film started to reach an almost insane level of expectation. (especially when I read up some articles,which said that Black Swan was going to be a companion piece to The Wrestler)Sitting down in the cinema,I began to get myself prepared to be completely blown away by this film. As the credits started to role,my main feelings of the film were some of the most mixed that I have had for any movie,which was mainly due to it not completely just being The Wrestle-Part:2 (which is also something I now feel very stupid about).Leaveing the cinema,I started to get very strong feelings that I needed to watch the film again,due to having a strong sense that there is something very special in the film,which I would catch more of on repeat viewings.With the DVD having at last come out in the UK, (sadly with no extras) I rushed out to get hold of it,so I could at last see what,my lingering senses had picked up on.
plot:
Having had a weird dream/nightmare,Nina Sayers gets out of bed and starts performing yoga,so she is all set to return for a new season of training at a highly regarded ballet school.Just before she leaves to catch the train to the school,Nina tells her mum Erica, (who decided to give up her ballet training,when she became pregnant with Nina) that the lead dance choreography-Thomas Leroy has said that she might have a more prominent role in their productions.Being happy that her daughter might have a great opportunity ahead of her,Erica gets a bit distressed when,she notices that Nina has some strange scratches on her back.Telling her mum that its nothing at all,Nina rushes to the ballet school.where all the students are told that they have to take part in an audition for the next production:a "re-worked" take on Swan Lake.With having failed to be picked Nina confronts Leroy over his decision.Thomas tells her that whilst she is a perfect fit for the sweet and innocent White Swan,he strongly feels that Nina lacks the willingness to "Lose herself" and,turn into the very aggressive Black Swan (a transformation that occurs to the lead character in the ballet.)Suddenly,Leroy gives Nina a strong kiss,which lasts until she shows her "aggressive" side,by biting him hard on the lips.To her surprise,Nina is suddenly given the lead role of the White/Black Swan.Sadly her opportunity to celebrate is short-lived,due to Leroy constantly telling Nina that she must show him the anger,which was shown when she bit his lips.Ninas increasing anxiety's are also not helped,when Thomas threatens to replace Nina,with a more care-free,less perfectionist student called Lily,who he says has the "perfect" attitude to play the White and the Black Swan.With Nina starting to feel that shes losing her grip on the role,Nina decides to dive headfirst,into attempting to embrace the "Black Swan" side of her personality.Due to the constant battles of letting her perfectionist,more innocent side fade away,Ninas body begins to literary tear itself apart,as the pressure of the role starts to consume her life,Nina also begins to experience some very disturbing hallucinations,which start to make it very hard for Nina to tell what is real,and what in her imagination...
View on film:
Looking at Aronofskys stunning directing of the film,I was surprised to notice one of the main filming techniques for The Wrestler,being noticeably taken to the extreme for this film,with the camera being kept very close to Nina from the moment she starts walking to the school,which, in a similar effect to the "ring" scenes in The Wrestle,helps to give a very deep feeling of claustrophobia,when Nina starts to become obsessed about transforming into the Black Swan.Noticeably,Aronofsky uses this effect for the whole film,that really helps to give a strong,fearful sense of paranoia,as Nina psychology starts to melt.With having enjoyed watching David Croenbergs 1975 horror Shivers,I was very impressed with how cleverly Aronofsky was able to use Croenbergs body-horror,in a way which massively helps to show the changes in Ninas personality and attitude,by showing Nina at first, being very scared as her body starts attempting to burst Nina out of her "innocent" White Swan side,to her at the end almost,excepting the more "wild and care-free" Black Swan side as the whole entity of her personality and attitude.For the amazing screenplay,writers Andres Heinz, (who also came up with the story of the film),Mark Heyman and John McLaughlin have the character of Lily, (played by Mila Kunis,who gives a truly outstanding performance)be someone that the audience can have a completely different view on during their repeat viewings of the film.Whilst the screenplay wisely takes its time to revel "the change" that is happening to Nina,by setting up the character and the ballet school environment which she is surrounded in. (which on my first viewing of the film,was something that felt too slow paced)On my second viewing of the film,I was left startled as the end credits began,when I realised that some of the things that happen to Nina,had been hinted at right from the start of the film,such as Nina stealing a lipstick from the schools fading star Beth Maclntyre, (brilliantly played by Winona Ryder)which the "Black Swan" side of Nina.may have used to write something pretty disturbing in the schools bathroom,to perhaps attempt to start loosening the grip of Ninas "White Swan" side.For this performance,Natalie Portman gives a stunning performance as she shows, Ninas initial terror of what is happening to her change,to eventually becoming obsessed with having the Black Swan be the dominating entity,which might "help" Nina to break out of her life-long shell.
Final View:
An unforgettable,psychological horror- style drama/thriller,with an intense screenplay,extremely clever directing and astonishing performances from the whole cast.