To become the black swan . . .

Rating: 10/10 (3 December 2010)

Not many movies do I sit through the credits but this was one of them. I now have a new respect for Natalie Portman whom I never was too impressed by in the past. She was something special in this one.
What would you go through to be the best? Nina (Portman) is a very good dancer but according to her teacher, Thomas (Cassel) she is just a one dimensional dancer. If she's going to be the swan princess than she'll have to experience nightmares at their worst.
Portman was just wonderful. Her and Mila Kunis spent hours a day for months to get the credibility of appearing as actual dancers and it shows. Portman plays a selfish but motivated girl who is treated like a 12 year old by her mom (Barbara Hershey). Her mom is secretly disappointed by having to end her career for her little girl. Everything is going great for Nina until she meets Lily (Mila Kunis). We all root for Nina even if she is very spoiled.
The movie acts almost like a thriller/horror but it's so carefully worked by Darren Aronofsky who doesn't seem to know how to make a bad movie. As the film continues to run, the more you want to know how it ends. This being something that films can't seem to establish nowadays.
This movie is special. It is powerful. You won't stop thinking about it for a long time. If you're lucky enough to have it play near you, please check it out but pay attention to every detail - every sound. It all adds up to a very powerful finish.
Grade A or 9.5/10