"Black Swan" Film Review
A cat fight in leotards (Now on DVD) 3 Stars As featured in: The Ithacan Director Darren Aronofsky finds comfort in telling cautionary tales. “Black Swan,” Aronofsky’s first film since “The Wrestler” won him widespread praise two years ago is his most foreboding yet. The film takes place in the ultra—competitive world of New York City ballet where constant pressure takes its toll on the nimble performers. Nina Sayers, played by Natalie Portman in an Oscar worthy turn, is an extreme example of what that pressure can do. Sayers is an eager yet self-deprecating talent who wilts when given the chance to become the lead performer in a modern retelling of Swan Lake. A film is only as good as the sum of its parts and “Black Swan” is built from quality ingredients. The screenplay by Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz covers many topics ranging from self—worth to addiction and weaves them together quite well. Best categorized as a psychological thriller “Black Swan” forces the audience to conti...