Darran Aronofsky’s 2010 film Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman, follows a ballerina down the path of psychological deterioration. Nina Sayers is a seemingly cautious and innocent dancer who desperately overworks herself in order to achieve perfection. When she finally is awarded the lead role in the ballet recital “Black Swan,” she is forced to confront her suppressed identity, or her “black swan.” External pressure from her obsessive mother and provocative director Thomas spirals her further inward and closer to her demise.

At the beginning of the film, Nina is so “fragile” and careful, she dares not to stand up to her competitors, her mother, or Thomas. Instead she pushes through the pain and horror of her worsening mental state by maintaining a poised and submissive image. As the film progresses, to improve her dance she must find a balance between seduction and purity. All of her repressed emotions of lust and anger become the key to one element she lacks in her technique: passion. When the role succumbs her humanity, she is met face to face with the darkness inside of her, and in her final performance, her evilness is celebrated.

This drama/thriller would interest anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers and horrors. I would rate Black Swan an 8/10.