A rare and precious gem of a film, Nalatlie Portman is a knock out.

Rating: 9/10 (26 July 2011)

Natalie Portman is a knock out in this film. She embraces it with every single ounce of her being, its a subdued performance at times, but one where she manages to get every audience member to feel for her. Not an easy task, but she takes to it like a duck (or swan) to water. The direction here is truly beautiful, though in full colour it feels at time that it could be in monochrome, it truly gives a seediness to the world its presented here.
Despite being a film based upon ballet, it is more character driven that anything else, though the main premise of the film might be put off by Black Swan this would be truly stupid thing as it really is good enough to appeal to a broad range of people.
Though it is Natalie Portman that leads this film with guns a blazing, other significant women in this film stick out. Mila Kunis's bad girl plays off against Portman brilliantly and the two form an unexpected and mysterious friendship. Barbara Hershey works well as the mother, who plays every second of the film with malevolence with what seems to be delight.Winona Ryder takes what little she is given and turns it to gold.
Black Swan is a power house of stunning direction and an ensemble of great performances. A film I literally cannot recommend any higher.