Amazing movie. Can't stop thinking about it, even after a few days.

Rating: 10/10 (16 January 2011)

As I was walking out of the theater, I just kept thinking of Hillary Swank's performance in Million Dollar Baby. Can Portman be denied the Oscar for Best Actress? Cassel certainly deserves a shot at Best Supporting Actor as well, and Aronofsky for Best Director. Hard to think of anything that wasn't first rate anywhere in the performances, writing, directing, or scene design. I was struck by how seasoned Mila Kunis has become since enjoying her breakthrough role in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. She is likely to have some pretty solid scripts coming her way after this knockout performance in Swan, and I expect she will soon find herself among the highest paid women actresses. Kudos to Barbara Hershey for turning in a strong character performance as a woman fifteen years younger than her present age; always helps to have an attractive and skilled expert play the key role as the manipulative Mother, and I loved seeing her in this role.