My mind is sufficiently blown. (Pseudo spoilers within)
First, I must touch on the absolute tour-de-force performance by the usually delightful Natalie Portman. *geek alert* Padmé has grown up. Sexy, fragile, graceful, powerful, dangerous, ugly, stunning… all qualities this superb role needed, often simultaneously, and Portman delivers in a big way. Frankly, of all the films and performances I’ve seen this year, no actress is even close.
I always knew Portman had this kind of performance in her, so it really came as no surprise to me. The biggest surprise in regards to BLACK SWAN was the screenplay. I’d heard the full spectrum about this film: it was terrible, it was brilliant, it was intense, it was overrated, whatever. One thing I never heard was that it was a modern day retelling of Swan Lake, but that became apparent to me by the midpoint of the film. At one point, Portman’s character explicitly tells the plot of the original story and therefore the film. Yet… I had NO idea what direction the film was going, keeping me guessing literally until the closing seconds. The screenplay is nothing short or brilliant, prompting gasps, shock, and a healthy discussion afterwards. I know what I said abouts Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay for THE SOCIAL NETWORK, but I have a new frontrunner.
In all, clearly, I loved this film. It was artsy, but not pretencious; a thriller, but not gratuitous; a mind-bender, but not a headache. I read an article that talks about how Indie films are thriving these days, maybe the new norm… if this film is an indication, I most certainly hope that is the case. To me, this film is a strong, strong contender for Best Picture.
