Starts Tense and Goes Nowhere

Rating: 4/10 (16 January 2011)

I give this film credit for showing what it's like backstage in Ballet or in any of the performing arts. For every hour of dazzling performance, there are hundreds of hours of work, sweat and tears. It takes a lot of effort to look effortless.
I will also congratulate the cinematographers - the camera work, especially the camera work showing balletic movement is terrific - you can almost feel what it's like to turn, jump and be lifted in space - bravo to them.
The story is the problem. A psychological thriller that's not particularly thrilling. You can predict the outcome about the third time you see the character Nina confront herself in the mirror - which is probably not ten minutes into the film.
Internal conflicts brought on by an overbearing mother, a demanding career, and facing the short lived career of a ballerina (few dancers dance professionally beyond their mid-30's), bring our heroine to a crisis that parallels her character as the Swan Queen.
We watch Nina spiraling out of control, but the story has all the surprise of high school physics experiment.
This ground has been covered many, many times (the 1978 movie "Magic", comes to mind). And it's been done better.
It's worth watching for the ballet fans out there - there aren't enough ballet movies. Otherwise, fly by the "Black Swan".
For an internal conflict, psychological thriller, I'd recommend "Momento", starring Guy Pierce.