'Black Swan'

'Black Swan' (R) (4 stars)

Writers: Mark Heyman, Andrew Heinz and John T. McLaughlin
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassell, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Sebastian Shaw, Mark Magolis, Benjamin Millepied

Sometimes everything in a movie comes together to make a flawless masterpiece where all the pieces fit. When the acting, directing, writing and cinematography all are top notch and gel together to make an extremely satisfying whole. I even appreciate it when a movie that could have gone all wrong turns out to surprise us with it's mastery and control. "Black Swan" is one of the most entertaining and effective psychological thrillers I have seen and the most exciting thriller since Woody Allen's "Match Point". My favorite psychological thriller is Roman Polanski's "Repulsion" and this is equal to that masterpiece in every way. The director of "Black Swan" is Darren Aronofsky who besides one disastrous mistake with his one movie "The Fountain" has built quite a resume. He directed my pick for best movie of 2008 "The Wrestler" and here he has made easily one of the best movies of 2010.

"Black Swan" tells the story of Nina Sayers who is a ballerina who gets a starring role in "Swan Lake". She has a demanding stage mother played by Barbara Hershey and a rival ballerina waiting to take her part. She is also under the direction of a very arrogant and hard pushing ballet director played by Vincent Cassell. The movie delves into the hard work, the punishment of the body and the psychological strain performing a ballet does to a young woman. This is actually the same type of story that Aronofsky explored in "The Wrestler". Both are performers who beat up their body, go through mental strain and kill themselves to entertain. Nina Sayers is played by the brilliant actress Natalie Portman who is one of my favorite actresses. This is the performance of her career and she gives a spellbinding and powerful performance. Not only shedding 20 pounds for the role but learning the craft of ballet by training hard to make it look real. She convinces us that she is really a ballerina and she also reveals the mental strain without going over the top. It is one of the best performances by an actress I have seen on screen.

Her rival is played by the beautiful and talented Mila Kunis who is becoming a great actress. From her great comedy work in "That 70's Show", her many dramatic roles and now this she is becoming an actress to watch out for. She is very good here, sexy, intriguing and she also convinces us that she is a real ballerina. Barbara Hershey plays the mom who might be pushing her daughter too hard, also causing her mental strain. This is one of the meanest, coldest and creepiest mothers on screen since Piper Laurie in "Carrie". There is also great work by Vincent Cassell and Winona Ryder as a washed up ballerina in her 30's! The movie always has a moment, especially near the explosive end, where it could have gone off the rails into sheer goofiness but this never does. The movie creates a believable world of ballet that is flawless and creates wonderful suspense and terror. Darren Aronofsky does not have one wasted shot and the end is perfect to me when it could have ended on a false note. The psychological games on display here by the writers and Aronofsky are not manipulative and never seem forced or out of place. Aronosfsky is not trying to pull one over on you and there is no phony twist ending.

"Black Swan" is highly entertaining and I couldn't look away from the screen. Of course it has two extremely beautiful women at the center of it. It has a very erotic and hot lesbian sex scene that is tasteful. It is a scene that adds to the plot and the psychology of the story instead of just being there to get us off. It has all that stuff but to me the joy I get from this movie is the ability of Aronosfsky to pull me in and let the mood of the movie wash all over me. I also can't wait to see this movie again for all the great individual shots and the perfect acting. Natalie Portman gives a performance that begs to be seen over and over again. I know a movie has totally got to me when my heart beats faster, my palms begin to sweat and I can't look away. All these things happened while watching "Black Swan" and it doesn't happen often to me. This is a powerful, spellbinding and extremely suspenseful movie that works it's magic on us. It has great acting, a believable and compelling story and flawless directing. Natalie Portman is a revelation in a career that is already full of revelations. Darren Aronosfsky is now a member of a new group made up by me after seeing this movie. He joins Quentin Tarantino and David Fincher as the three best young directors working today, call them the Snavely Auteur Masters.