The story of a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life is completely consumed with dance. Nina lives with her retired ballerina mother who zealously supports her daughter's professional ambition. When the artistic director decides to replace the prima ballerina for the opening production of their new season, Nina is his first choice.
Portman hasn't been this good since her early performances in The Professional and Heat, and is deservedly attracting intense Oscar buzz. Kunis brings to Lily a savvy sexiness, and Cassel is entertainingly smarmy.
– Calvin Wilson,
St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
31 Jan 2011
fresh:
Practice makes perfectly insane in Black Swan, a tale of one ballerina's psychosexual freakout.
– Rafer Guzman,
Newsday,
3 Jan 2011
fresh:
Portman, saddled with the near-impossible role of an impenetrable heroine we must care for without ever coming close to understanding, delivers career-high work here...
– Rene Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
21 Dec 2010
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At times, Black Swan verges on laughably old school. Still, what a brazen, bold riff on the cost - physical, emotional - of art.
– Lisa Kennedy,
Denver Post,
17 Dec 2010
fresh:
There's a delirium that runs through Black Swan, a sense of stress and anguish and mad momentum, that's both exhilarating and terrifying.