IT'S HERE, YOU CANTANKEROUS BITCHES! (Thoughts on Black Swan)

Saturday, December 18, 2010 5:34 PM By Simon

-So, you know the story, right? Emotionally constipated woman--living at home with her overbearing mother, living every little girl's dream profession, ballerina--slowly goes mad as she prepares for the lead role in Swan Lake.

-Natalie Portman is the shit. I mean, she deserves all the praise she's getting. Spending the better part of the movie (which never leaves her, not for a minute) with a brow furrowed in worry, eyes wide and fragile and pathetic. But then, as she becomes the Black Swan, she becomes the Black Swan--aggressive and vicious and, let's face it, rather slutty. Nothing here is gratuitous, there for the sake of titillation. It's all to do with her unraveling. She peels back skin on her fingers, a rash forms on her shoulder blades, her feet, of, darling, her feet.

-Vincent Cassel is all molesty as her fervent director, criticizing her in the same breath her sticks his tongue down her throat. Mila Kunis stays to the side, watching and waiting, imitating Natalie Portman's moves (fine, Lily and Nina), but with a dash more playfulness, no worry or cares, mysterious. Barbara Hershey, with her Glasgow grin and her half-mad motherly gaze, vicariously living through her daughter in the most terrifying way, deserves an Oscar, I tell you.

-And Winona Ryder. Making the most of her 5 minutes, she, the fallen star, chews every line with enough bitter fury to crack the champagne glass she wields like a gun.

-And yet, there's a deliciously campy humor about it, best exemplified as Nina is haunted by the wizard dude--the swan, the black, feathery, tarred thing that chases her nightmares grotesquely--and on opening night, he breezes past her in the crowded backstage with a noncommittal 'Hey'.

-Darren Aronofsky is king of operatic deterioration.

-The camerawork is lovely. This frantic jumping about, always keeping Portman in focus, following her from back of the head or tightly closing in on her panicked face, is a sick combination of Gaspar Noe and David Lynch styles. The music, groaning strings that are lovely and despairing at the same time, is epic. I tip my fedora to Clint Mansell and Matthew Libatique.

-The last shot is haunting. The first shot is haunting. Every shot is haunting.

-Not to discredit the supporting-supporting players, other dancers at the company, who make remarks and feud and gossip and bicker and stare daggers at Nina, or dance with her, side with Cassel, everyone being such glorious bitches, but sympathetique bitches, but bitches, all of them, Benjamin Millepied and company.

-Portman and Kunis did most of their own dancing.

-This is a psychological horror, ignore the pretentious dicks who try to call it a thriller. This. Is. A. Horror. Movie.

-I wrote this awhile ago, about Black Swan, kind of.

-Remember when I said I didn't want to hear no damn reviews of Black Swan? I want to now. Lay 'em on me.

39 comments:

Matt-suzaka said...

I've been so excited for this for a while now, and am glad to hear positive reviews so far. I love Aronofsky's films, and I think the work Clint Mansell did with the Kronos quartet for Requiem for a Dream is incredible, so I am happy that the music is something you found good enough to mention. I just hope it plays somewhere near me.

December 18, 2010 at 7:34 PM
Robert said...

YESSS I've been waiting to hear your thoughts all day. Hahaha. I knew you would love it, and I agree with everrrrrything you said. Every shot is so haunting, that score is just exhilarating, and Hershey DESERVES an Oscar. Strange that Mila Kunis is getting more buzz in a less baity role but I won't complain...she was good in her own way. :P

December 18, 2010 at 10:11 PM
SugaryCynic said...

I second that YESSS. If your review is anything to go on it sounds like Black Swan was all you wanted and more. I AM SEEING IT ON MONDAY, I AM SO DAMN EXCITED!!

December 18, 2010 at 10:52 PM
"Yojimbo_5" said...

I don't think over-praise can spoil this movie. It will catch you and surprise you in cleverly manipulative ways. And Portman and Hershey...they deserve gold.

Portman and Kunis did their own dancing? From the waist up, certainly. But, all those long shots of full-body dancing indicates professional dancer doubles (Although I noticed one mirror shot where Portman and double were perfectly matched...maybe it WAS her...)

One description you'll never hear about this movie? "Chick-flick"

The ballerinas in the audience I saw it with found it a roller-coaster, high-fiving at the bitchiness, nodding appreciatively as Nina "makes her slippers ready," and generally finding it accurate, if overwrought...but as you said...it is a horror movie.

December 19, 2010 at 8:42 AM
Neil Fulwood said...

"Darren Aronofsky is king of operatic deterioration." This quote ought to be on the poster!

December 19, 2010 at 4:25 PM
Castor said...

I can't wait to see this! Monday for sure :)

December 19, 2010 at 8:09 PM
Nick Prigge said...

"...chews every line with enough bitter fury to crack the champagne glass she wields like a gun." That's, like, poetry.

December 20, 2010 at 2:02 PM
Runs Like A Gay said...

30 more days until it opens in the UK. Can't wait.

December 21, 2010 at 3:11 AM
Castor said...

Agree about the last shot. Definitely a big plus that the movie knew exactly how and when to end it. Rob and my review are up if you are interested Ripley ;)

December 21, 2010 at 11:11 AM
Movie Reviews said...

Its one of the years best, one of Aronofsky's best.

December 21, 2010 at 3:51 PM
Simon said...

Matt-sazuka: WIDE RELEASE! HAZZAH!

Robert: You look forward to my opinions? Aw. Hershey deserves a Nobel, every award they got.

Sugary: AND YOU DID!

Yojimbo: They did learn some bit, anyway. I think Kunis could do her own en point.

Neil: Only the Scandinavian one.

Castor: I did. You were there.

Nicholas: Why, thank you.

Runs Like a Gay: Looking forward to a review.

Alexa: Thanks! I loved your review too.

Movie Reviews: Noted.

December 21, 2010 at 8:36 PM
CMrok93 said...

In case you are thinking you're going to see a pretty film about a lovely, popular ballet, this is not that film. On the other hand, if you're interested in a horror film about a lovely, popular ballet, then this is the ticket.

December 26, 2010 at 2:03 AM
online cinema said...

I have been so excited about this movie. After reading so many review that said all good about this movie I just went to watch it. But I am wring this movie doesn't come up to my expectations and its an average one.

December 31, 2010 at 3:28 AM
Anonymous said...

I laughed like no other when she did the deed under the sheets unknowing that her mother was in the same room... Then awkward silence.

January 4, 2011 at 9:32 PM
Simon said...

CMrok93: Dude. Stop with the copy-and-pasting comments.

online cinema: I'm sorry.

Franz: I went with my mom to see that, how do you think I feel?

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