I took ballet in kindergarten. I saw Baryshnikov dance when I studied abroad in Spain. I love the Nutcracker. I even rented Flashdance on DVD when I found out we were moving to Pittsburgh. I get ballet.
I am not the only one from my generation to go from Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarrantino to Hannah Montana and The Jonas Brothers. My New Year’s Resolution was to watch more movies actively without passing out or working on something else while I watch it. My children are old enough now that I should be able to do this. My brain should also be able to process an independent film. So, I heard “thriller ballet” AND I heard “Natalie Portman” AND I heard “babysitter available”- AND I went to see Black Swan.
First impressions: I wonder how many ballerinas are southern because grapefruit for breakfast isn’t quite biscuits and molasses with your grits. How do they stay so freaking skinny? I just answered my own question, didn't I? In the movie when they arrive at the ballet studio, all the girls are trashing the principal dancer and how old she is and how she needs to retire. I kept waiting for some gray haired A-list actress to walk on in a tutu. Do you know who they were talking about? Winona Ryder-Winona was the actress playing the ballerina pushing 40 (like myself). Now not only do I feel fat, but I also have to worry about arthritis. I must rent Edward Scissorhands, Reality Bites, and Mermaids to make myself feel better.
The quick summary: The director, Thomas, announces they will do a version of Swan Lake. He collects a little group of favorites to audition for the lead. Among them is Natalie Portman’s Nina, a somewhat repressed and extremely sheltered young woman. During her audition, bad ass new ballerina Lilly interrupts. Nina is always in white, Lilly is always in black (Things that make you go hmmmm). Nina gains the role as the Swan Princess Odette. She slowly goes crazy (from white to black) as the film progresses, convinced that Lilly and others are going to try and replace her.
There are scenes in the beginning that make you think, this isn’t going to end well. No young adult should still be living with her mother in a pink bedroom decorated with butterflies and stuffed bunny rabbits. No one should open her mom’s room and see painted portrait after portrait of themselves. Maybe I’m wrong, but everyone should be allowed to have some private time, if you know what I mean.
About Nina’s mother-they were probably five years away from becoming the Bates family. Barbara Hershey nailed the border-line personality mom down. I really felt like I knew these women and they were functioning in their dysfunction absolutely perfectly. Who needs locks on doors? Who needs friends? Who needs to cut their own fingernails? I believe, well, I know, that people living in crazy don’t know it is crazy. You could see that in these scenes.
The acting was convincing. I could feel the paranoia from Nina, the obsession from the mom, the sleazy talented machismo of the director, the “I’m here from California tattooed ballerina coolness” coming off Lilly. It was very creepy and definitely not for everyone. I have a list of friends I give permission to see certain films, and they can’t go to this one. It reminded me of Salvador Dali’s paintings and the way his fears would come to life on the canvas.
Natalie might very well win the Oscar. This is my favorite movie of hers since the Professional. Black Swan could be considered a Fight Club for women. I would also pass out permission slips to show this to an “all girl” health class. All the basics are covered for eating disorders, cutting, sexuality, paranoia, drugs and other substances, making good friendships, and being best buds with your mom. That will get you through college.
My daughter is sticking with gymnastics-until she breaks a rib but refuses to stop tumbling that is….
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