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Occasionally a movie comes along that just defies any and all expectations anyone would even think of having for it. I’m talking about a film that is both haunting and heartwarming, horrifying and endearing… to put it simply, unlike anything else you’ve seen in a long, long time. With a director like Darren Aronofsky, it’s almost guaranteed the audience will receive something impressive with their moviegoing experience, but with his newest film BLACK SWAN he’s transcended even his own reputation, and become a director that Hollywood will have no choice but to stand in awe of.

The story follows Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), a highly determined ballet perfectionist, who wants nothing more than to have the opportunity of commanding the stage in a leading performance. Her mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) also hopes for Nina to achieve perfection, but only under her strict guidelines, many of which draw on past experiences. Within her ballet company, Nina meets the powerful and particular director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel), who sees promise in her but doubts her ability to show the necessary dark side for his intended production of Swan Lake. Enter Lily (Mila Kunis), who all at once scares and fascinates Nina, capturing the raw and uninhibited dance method Nina can’t bring herself to harness, and at the same time being everything Nina is not in everyday life. When Thomas chooses Nina to be his new lead in Swan Lake, it creates jealousy among her fellow dancers, though she finds an unexpected friend in Lily, and as the two get closer certain motivations become a little more evident… or do they? Nina also learns that Mr. Leroy’s previous ballet star Beth (Winona Ryder) has been rather cast out from the company, forced into retirement, and bitter and hateful toward her star-making boss. Thomas keeps pushing Nina to let go of herself in order to play the “Black Swan” portion of Swan Lake correctly, but Nina’s own perfection prevents her from doing so. Will she find her muse in Lily, or just another form of competition?

Now I know, to tell you the basic plot outline of BLACK SWAN doesn’t make it sound all that fascinating, but there’s so much more going on here than you might think. Darren Aronofsky has shown his diversity time and time again, with films like Pi, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, THE FOUNTAIN and THE WRESTLER already under his belt, this newest effort is somehow levels above and beyond anything he’s ever accomplished. While not as visually unusual as say THE FOUNTAIN, or as psychologically disturbing as REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, there’s an uneasy uniqueness to BLACK SWAN that separates it from just about every other film this year, making it a cinematic feast that simply must be taken in. Natalie Portman has finally found her perfect performance. We’ve always known she was capable of excellence, but up until now she’s never been given the exact vehicle with which to show her talents in full. In playing Nina, she gives us a rich and layered character, the kind critics dream of seeing in movies, and audiences will most certainly recognize as a rarity. Mila Kunis shows her dramatic side can shine under the hands of the right director as well – being an actress many only think of for her comedic abilities, she transforms here into something much more real and captivating. I forgot I was watching the voice of Meg Griffin from FAMILY GUY, or that girl from THAT 70’s SHOW, this Mila Kunis was something new and fresh, and I really liked it. Vincent Cassel is every bit as brilliant as Thomas Leroy as one might think. Consistently proving himself in foreign films, he flawlessly delivers his performance in a very American production, adding his own ethnic flare and mysterious charm to an already fascinating character. Barbara Hershey becomes the mother we all fear, and yet maintains a level of sympathy as the film goes on, showing she hasn’t lost her talent one bit. It’s a difficult role to pull off, because Hershey isn’t in too much of the film, but when she’s there she definitely makes an impact with a character that quietly builds into a highly-complex final act. Kudos must also be given to Winona Ryder as the jilted former ballet star. She’s not given much screen time, but definitely leaves an impression on both the audience and the characters headlining the film. One of her scenes in particular will stay with me for quite sometime.

What Aronofsky has done here is crafted the most beautfiul horror film I’ve ever seen. And yet with saying that, I feel like calling BLACK SWAN a “horror” movie isn’t entirely accurate, just an easy way to define my feelings over it. This may very well be the most impressive film of 2010, especially after a summer of forgettable fluff. I’m not a ballet fan, but I am familiar with Swan Lake, both musically and visually, and seeing the use of the famous production in this film was both inspired and haunting. Should I ever see it live in my future, I doubt I’ll be able to look on it without at least casually thinking about Darren’s film. Who would ever think that ballet and horror could mesh so well, and never come across as cheesy or derivative? It should be noted that more than a few scenes in the movie are rather disturbing, whether on a sexual level, or gory level, but somehow it never feels gratuitous. Not every director out there can shock you so effectively without overdoing certain elements, but Aronofsky shows respect for his audience… all while he quietly pulls the strings of our attention. This is a movie that demands viewing, but more importantly deserves it. I rarely throw out a statement like the one I’m about to utter, but if you see only one movie this month, you should absolutely make it BLACK SWAN. This is cinematic perfection.

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