posted by: Jacob Halajian
Her latest oeuvre, Black Swan, wowed us beyond belief. But we will give credit where credit is due: the genius within this movie does not rely solely on Portman's Oscar-worthy performance. We are consistently impressed with Aronofsky's use of actors who embody the characters they portray almost fully. Choosing Portman to play the ballerina of the hour, the Queen Swan in this psychological thriller of sorts was no different from the obvious motives behind choosing Mickey Rourke to play the leading role in The Wrestler. Like Portman's public image and public history, we see her character start as an innocent, hard-working perfectionist and become a violent, out-for-your-head femme fatale. Not that she is a monster in real life, but if we consider her beginnings, the fun-loving smile that once painted a picture of a young Natalie, and her risque, Devendra Banhart-dating recent self, the transformation is clear.
Portman went all out for this role, and made us dribble and drool over the vertebrae in her spine that jutted out from her back, during a rehearsal, or a fitting. It's hard to believe this "little princess" was never a ballet dancer herself, because the choreographed and extremely vigorous dancing numbers would have seemed like an impossible challenge for us. I'd rather say, "I'm staying put. Now, where's my birthday cake!"
If you haven't seen it yet, please do. The film carries a strong message about fame and fortune, about love and perfection. It'll have you analyzing the two sides that make you whole. The two faces that can either shield you or open you up. The two sides that want you to create and to destroy. The side that wants you to live, and the side that wants you to kill.
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