Black Swan (2010)

A reserved, inhibited ballerina (Natalie Portman), still living at home and treated as a little girl by her ex-ballerina mother (Barbara Hershey), finds herself thrust into the spotlight when cast as The Swan Queen in Tchaikovsky's SWAN LAKE. But she finds herself not only pushed beyond endurance by the choreographer (Vincent Cassel) but under the watchful eyes of a ballerina (Winona Ryder) on her way down and a ballerina (Mila Kunis) on her way up. This is one freaky movie and I loved every minute of it. It's as if THE RED SHOES had a one night stand with Polanski's REPULSION and this was the bastard child they produced with David Lynch acting as midwife! This is the career defining role that Portman has been waiting for and she attacks the part like a carnivore after a vegetarian diet. Darren Aronofsky, who showed us the grueling and cruel world of wrestling in THE WRESTLER, now shows us the graphic intensity of the ballet artist. There are several moments not for the squeamish, THE TURNING POINT it ain't. I had to look at my lap during all the moments of cutting, open sores, stabbing and self mutilation! I'm not sure mainstream audiences will accept what Aronofsky has given us but it's a hell of a ride as well as a portrait of an artist's descent into perfection to the point of insanity.