I am a huge Natalie Portman fan....since the very first time I saw her performance in The Professional at the tender age of 11. So it was no surprise I wanted to see her performance in The Black Swan. An added bonus, the movie is about the world of ballet.
There is only word to describe what I thought of the movie.....Riveting!
Just when you think Natalie Portman has shown us what she is made of in her prior movies, she once again shocks us with what else she has in her arsenal. In interviews she states she trained a full year prior to filming the movie, so who you see dancing is not a stunt double, but Miss Natalie Portman.
The storyline, a well disciplined, dedicated dancer who dreams of becoming the lead ballerina in the company's gripping performance of Swan Lake, takes you through the many experiences a dancer goes through when competing for the top spot. They worry about weight gain, battle anorexia, constantly work on their technique and deal with jealousy from fellow company members. These experiences are enough to push some ballerinas over the edge.....and Darren Aronofsky seamlessly displays this in such a way that you feel you are standing right beside Nina (Natalie Portman's character) as she spirals out of control. Natalie Portman delivers such a believable performance that you forget this is a character she is portraying, not real life.
I would be shockingly surprised if Natalie does not receive the Oscar for this performance. The acclaim the film has been receiving thus far is incredibly well deserved. It is definitely worth watching.
