A dark, haunting dance of perfection

Joe ColajezziSpecial Report EditorThe need for perfection is one that has often fueled men and women past their breaking points, most especially ballet dancers. Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” graphically epitomizes the emotional and physical morph into what we as humans often seek, yet cannot handle.The sport of ballet, although beautiful as a finishing product, is in fact an incredibly grueling process. Point! Arabesque! Pirouette! Ask anyone who’s been to a ballet class – it ain’t as girly as it sounds.Aranofsky directs Natalie Portman in the role of her career, Nina Sayers, a young ballet prodigy who has quite clearly given up her life to dance in one of New York’s most prestigious dance companies. Her brilliantly promiscuous choreographer (played with exquisite creepiness by Vincent Cassel) casts Nina as the Swan Queen in Swan Lake: the role of a life-time. The key to making the Swan Queen “work,” is the transformation she makes from the lithe and innocent white swan to the sinister, yet passionate black swan. Nina has excellent technique and the virginal, kind spirit is no stretch for her – but it’s the lack of flare in her eyes that Nina can’t pull off. Nina begins to undergo immense pressure as her choreographer begins to favor the style of dancing Lily (played by Mila Kunis) possesses. Lily, clearly Nina’s polar opposite, is an incredibly sexual being who more or less challenges Nina’s future in their company.From there, Nina’s sense of reality starts to stray – and Aranofsky flawlessly depicts the psychological disparity of Nina as her sheltered existence starts to morph into self-destruction.Like most of Aranofsky’s films (“The Wrestler,” “Requiem for a Dream”) we’re presented with a very likeable character that we want to empathize with. Aranofsky places these characters in incredibly grim real-life struggle that although are entertaining; remind us how the world often operates.Although in this context, I prefer the term “psychological mind f–“ (well, let’s just say thriller), the visuals displayed in this film are a horror-lover’s dream. The physical transformation of an over-worked ballet dancer is gross enough, but the horrific aesthetic transformation Nina undergoes is one of the most haunting displays in cinema I’ve seen since … Actually, a previous Darren Aronofsky film.Black Swan succeeds because it triumphs in every aspect possible: tense, gripping direction, poignant acting craft and one of the most technically perfected films I’ve seen in years as far as sound, cinematography and film editing goes. Although, because of its subject material, I don’t see it as a huge Oscar contender come February – fret not, Darren Aranofsky’s Black Swan won’t be forgotten as one of the most effective psychological thrillers of all time.jcolajezzi@thesamohi.com