The Netflix Dark Thriller That Messes With Your Mind
Ballet dancing is often associated with graceful jetés, chassés, and pirouettes expertly executed over a stunning musical backdrop. But if director Darren Aronofsky has anything to say about it, there’s also something more sinister behind the beauty that had to be explored in 2010’s Black Swan. Focusing on the immense amount of pressure that a high-level ballet dancer subjects herself to, Black Swan explores how a talented young woman named Nina can crack under the pressure, leading to a psychotic break that’s both visually gripping and deeply disturbing.
Black Swan Streaming On Netflix
Black Swan centers on Natalie Portman’s Nina Sayers, a young ballet dancer who has an opportunity to take on the lead role in an adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. After prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) is forced into retirement, the artistic director announces that he’s looking for a new dancer to take on the role of both the White Swan (Odette) and the Black Swan (Odile). Though Nina nails the audition for Odette, her performance as Odile left a lot to be desired.
Nina Gets More Than She Bargained For
To Nina’s surprise, she lands the lead role after an uncomfortable meetup with the artistic director, much to the displeasure of Beth who quickly accuses her of sexual impropriety. At this point in Black Swan, Nina begins to experience hallucinations while sustaining a number of questionable injuries. Her distress is further exacerbated when Beth gets hit by a car, rendering her legs useless and ending her dancing career.
Acts Two And Three
The second and third acts of Black Swan introduce us to conflict on multiple fronts. We learn more about Nina’s mother, Erica, a former ballerina who also happens to be the worst kind of helicopter parent. Meanwhile, Mila Kunis’ Lily is introduced to the New York City Ballet company, and Nina has reason to believe that she’s going to steal the lead role from her. As Nina continues to spiral, she tirelessly prepares for the role, but to the detriment of her physical and mental health.
Dancers Weren’t Happy
Though Black Swan was both a critical and commercial success, it was also met with quite a healthy amount of criticism from the ballet community. Despite its 85 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, a number of ballet dancers came forward and suggested that the film portrays serious ballet dancers in a negative light. But at the same time, the dancers who criticized the film for Nina’s extreme devotion to her craft also praised Natalie Portman for her dance technique.
Why Black Swan Works
Black Swan gives us an uncomfortable look into what can happen to an individual who sacrifices their well-being for the sake of being the absolute best at what they do. Though we’ve seen versions of this story play out in the past in various sports movies and musician biopics, this psychological horror film uses surreal imagery and troubling cinematography to deliver its message. By the film’s conclusion, it’s not quite clear what Nina actually experienced and what she imagined, which adds a layer of abstraction that will warrant multiple repeat watches.
But if you want to stream Black Swan, you better do it soon because it will be leaving Netflix on January 31.
