Just a simple character analysis

Rating: 8/10 (17 January 2011)

1. Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers: Well, let's be honest, she's crazy. It may be due to her almost crazier mother who controls every aspect of her life, but I don't think anybody can be blamed for that much craziness except the person who is actually that crazy. Also, however, she is a magnificent ballerina. I'm no movie critic or dance professional, but I'm pretty sure that as Thomas says, she is brilliantly technical, even if she lacks the drive to get lost in her role. After discussing her with a friend I have to agree with my friend and say that the hallucinations and explicit and graphic delusions of grandeur point to a severe case of Dissociative Identity Disorder. I'm not an expert in anything I've said about Nina Sayers, but then again, I don't think anybody has to be to make this type of guess. A simple Psychology class that most of us take in high school. I think I'm only writing this much about Natalie Portman's character because the girl is talented. This role can't have been an easy one.
2. Mila Kunis as Lily: As an English major, I have to point something out after looking up character names: Mila Kunis' character does not have a last name. Some may see this as completely insignificant. After all, plenty of characters go through movies without their last name being mentioned. But think about it; are those characters important in their respective movies? Let's think to "The Social Network" and its characters. So many characters are mentioned by both first name and last, including the twins who are referred to through most of the movie by only their last names. But then there's the CFO's girlfriend. "Christy" Uumm...Christy ______. Exactly, because she doesn't make an important contribution to the movie. Yes, she has a decent amount of screen time, but honestly, no last name means you are either fictional or insignificant. However, Mila Kunis' character is anything but insignificant. If anything she's clearly the most significant character after Natalie Portman's. Almost every action of her's incurs an equal, if not distorted, reaction from Portman. There's a whole lot to say about 'Lily,' and I just wasted a lot of your time trying to call attention to some non-character related details. I'll end this real quick with this: Is Lily real or Nina Sayers' Tyler Durden?
3. Barbara Hershey as Erica Sayers: Overprotective is an understatement. So is overbearing, over-caring, over-everything really. Erica Sayers makes me glad that my mom used to give me a curfew. As I write this I'm trying not to think of how much I dislike this character. She's weak and yet controlling, but at the same time, devoted to her daughter's success. It's a bit over the top though. She's the mom that's putting the pressures of her own failures onto her daughter. Just the overlying question: WHY? That's really all I have to say about this character. I'm trying to not be biased here, but honestly, there's not much to say about a character that I see as simple. Sure, she's developed pretty well in the story, but it's a simple development. She's angry, controlling, and an overall failure.
4. Winona Ryder as Beth MacIntyr: Ryder didn't get herself a lot of screen time in this film, but she still had a huge enough impact to get herself a last name, unlike Mila Kunis. Every moment Winona Ryder is on screen is significant. When we first see her, she's aspiring to reprise her role in the ballet only to have it stolen by a suddenly aggressive Nina (that bitch). Beth becomes more and more interesting though. The drunken rage at the announcement party, the crippling car accident (which, while never said has ended her ballet career), the hospital encounter with Nina, and the "appearance" in Nina's bathroom. There are so many things about to say about Beth. I don't even know where to start. She's just really quite amazing. I don't know Ryder's acting history, but I'm guessing that this role is reminiscent of her best days. Her character is quickly developed, almost rushed, but I feel that I understand her a lot more than I understand the obsessiveness of Hershey's character. Ryder begins the movie in a moment of complete failure. She deals with it horribly. She goes on to haunt the ballerina that took her role. It's brilliant. Unintentional, but absolutely brilliant. I really want to write more about Ryder's character, but I don't feel like words can express how excellently she portrayed a completely damaged character.
5. Vincent Cassel as Thomas Leroy: This is a character that stumped me for a bit. Genius? Absolutely. Douche? Also, absolutely. Why is this guy in charge of these women? Oh, that's right: Genius. He's straight, manipulative, and again: Genius. You must be tired of that word already, but let's be honest, Thomas Leroy is Genius. At some points he needs to stop being so Genius, but then he keeps on being Genius. I think this might be another character I have a bias for. I'm not sure if it's a positive or negative bias, but he's definitely interesting. I was on Natalie Portman's side for the movie, so of course him so strongly criticizing her 'technically' perfect dances seemed like an outrageous person to be in charge. But I started switching sides when he seduced her. This straight, male ballet instructor - no, master - seduced a straight, female ballerina who is seemingly the epitome of innocence. That stuff takes some Genius. Oh, but also, what's with the "Little Princess" stuff? He's a fickle, manipulative, Genius.
The rest of the speaking characters have no last names. Not only that, but when looking up the information, I found out that I couldn't even confirm all of their names because they were not audibly mentioned in the film.