A Failure of Character Development

Rating: 5/10 (24 January 2011)

If the Black Swan deserves any awards, it is likely the "Emperor's New Clothes Award". After watching the film, I can't help but think that everyone feels that they are supposed to fawn over this film because it is supposedly artsy, and contains one of the hottest talents in Hollywood right now (I think Portman has something like 5 movies releasing in a 12 month period). Of course, the lesbian scene probably has something to do with the need for all of us to love the movie, as well.
The reality, however, is that the movie fails to live up to its purported goals, or even come close. Portman plays a character with essentially one facial expression throughout the movie (with the exception of her expressions during the unfortunate, and crass, sex scenes). That expression is one that makes her appear as if she is about to burst into tears at any moment. Although the movie is supposed to chronicle her developing the Black Swan personality, we have to rely on characters in the movie, most notably the company director, to assure us it is happening. Nothing shifts in Portman's portrayal of the character to clue you in to this change. Whether this is due to her acting skills or the director's skills, I can't completely say. However, thinking back on V for Vendetta, the most interesting character in that movie was the one wearing the mask. Portman's character, while somewhat interesting, undergoes a sudden shift toward the end of the movie, similar to that in Swan, while we are deprived of really observing the subtle transition.
Rather than watching her become the Swan, I spent the entire movie waiting for her to have the role stripped and handed to someone else. It is never believable that she is given the role in the first place, and as opening night approaches, it is impossible to believe that she isn't given the boot, because nothing about her has changed. Yes, she does yell at her mom, but that is hardly some significant character development.
The only two highlights to the movie are the cinematography, which creates a wonderful air of foreboding, "grit", and darkness around the entire movie (and facilitates a reasonably good handling of her descent from extreme neurosis to insanity - although that is not a terribly long journey), and the dancing itself.
Actually, to be fair, when Portman plays the Black Swan for the actual show, she does a tremendous job portraying that character. Unfortunately, like in Vendetta, there is nothing in her portrayal of the character up to that point that allows you to observe and experience the transition.