I can’t speak for everyone, but Black Swan has to be one of the creepiest films I have ever seen. Over and over, the psychological thriller discourse shows the darkness of asylums, mind games of abusive relationships, and effects of long-term isolation; however, director Darron Aronofsky steps outside the box to convey a tragic story about the pain of perfection.
Nina, played by Natalie Portman, is a passionate ballerina who has become the first pick for the artistic company’s production of “Swan Lake” after the replacement of the principal dancer. With the amount of work Nina had put into her dance and the dedication she had showed the company, it makes sense that she would play the role. Nina’s pureness mirrors that of the white swan within the famous production; however, upon the announcement that for the company’s specific rendition the black and white swans would be portrayed by the same person, Nina suddenly has competition. Lily, played by Mila Kunis, personifies the darkness of the black swan just as well as Nina does the white. It is through the competition of these two dancers that Nina’s inner demons begin to creep out and progressively unhinge her as the plot grows.
It is no secret that the ballet industry is cut-throat environment. While the “company” structure of ballet may make the art sound like a team effort, there is always an underlying competition to be the best. Perfection drives many dancers. For some, this unattainable idea pushes a dancer to their best work, while for others it can be their downfall. Eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, body dysmorphia, and anxiety are just a few instances of mental illness common in ballerinas. In the eyes of dancers like Nina, a tortured soul is one step closer to perfection.
The plot of Black Swan is complex, but real. Inside the mind of Nina, there is constant fear of falling short that is made present through her relationships with family, fellow dancers, and herself. Aronofsky allows viewers an unsettling look inside the everyday life of a struggling dancer. A seemingly healthy dancer in the exposition, Nina slowly becomes more entrenched by mental illness until the plot hits its climactic resolution. To Nina, the deteriorating mental state is just the price of the industry. Sound effects allow us to hear the crushing of brittle bones in her feet as she leaps and turns. Horrific to many, this is the life of many principal dancers around the world. Aronofsky does not hold anything back about the ballet industry in his film.
Much of the horror captured in the movie is done so through depictions many would prefer not to see. Aronofsky tests the limits of viewers through the repulsive scenes that contribute to the realism of the film. Through the film we watch dancers shove their fingers to the back of their throats, throwing up their day’s worth of food. We see graphic sex scenes and gruesome deaths. While many of these details may be more likely to happen in a fictional film than real-life (i.e. murder), the message is clearly present in dance companies across the world: women are dying to dance.
Overall, I thought this film had a brutally honest commentary on the ballet industry and an accurate portrayal of living with mental illness. The plot line felt unique to the genre and I greatly appreciate the thought put into it by the director and cast alike. The complex plot line when paired with equally gruesome and stunning visuals create a holistic account of the dark reality of the ballet industry. Tragically, for many dancers the pain and torment they face internally really is the cost of perfection, and Aronofsky’s take on the situation is genuine and well executed.