Without - Screened at the Memphis Indie Film Festival on 11-5-011

“Without” Film Review
By: Heather Hardison, Ph.D.

“Without” is a mind blowing psychological thriller that will leave you scratching your head trying to figure out what you just witnessed. I had the privilege of watching this film this weekend at the Memphis Indie Film Festival, and I had not heard anything about the film prior to the screening except for a short description and trailer related to the film festival’s advertising program and wedsite. The overview is that a young woman, approximately 19 years old, takes a job as a caretaker of an elderly man in a vegetative state. He lives on a remote island in Puget Sound, Washington, that is surrounded by woods and a very small town. Joslyn soon finds herself in a situation where she is alone with a man she doesn’t know, who can’t communicate, and no way of communicating with the outside world as she has no cell signal and no internet. She isn’t even allowed to watch television as the man’s family left her specific instructions to only leave it on the fishing channel on level 34 due to his loss of hearing. As the routine of this solitary life takes its toll on her, we start to see her stability waver. Weird things start happening to her that are unexplained and are unsettling to the audience. She only has her iphone to keep her company on this quiet island. Without a connection to the world, all she can do is listen to her music and watch videos from her life, which helps give us a back story for her and what happened before we were introduced to her in the ferry scene in the beginning of the movie.

The slow pace of this movie may put off some people, but that is what drew me to the movie in the first place. It was apparent from the trailer that this film was going to unfold slowly, and I almost skipped this film out of fear that my husband was going to kill me for making him sit through a slow moving “artsy film,” but I’m glad that we stuck with it. The first scene brought about a lot of snickering from the audience as Joslyn is sitting quietly on the ferry with the camera poised on a close up of just her face for what seemed like several minutes. This is rarely done in modern films but was a welcome change from the high energy films that overwhelm all our senses. I prefer a movie to unfold slowly rather than rush straight into action to try to grasp the audience’s attention out of fear that they will lose them right away if something thrilling doesn't occur. As a psychologist, I like to see the mundane tasks of everyday life represented in film as that is what so many people truly live day in and day out. The average joe’s life is not glitz and glamour. Most days are similar to others in the week and don’t stand out due to anything spectacular. Days are made up of long silences and moments where nothing out of the ordinary occurs. Life consists mainly of inconsequential moments that don’t hold any excitement or interest, and the director didn't shy away from that monotony. In fact, this movie camps out in the monotonous nature of this lifestyle. We see Joslyn performing some of the same physical therapy exercises with Frank day in and day out. We watch her engage in yoga daily and running out to town for a latte at the local coffee place just to get out of the isolation of Frank's house. This movie feels very REAL in that aspect. It actually feels more like a documentary than a feature film. And it felt like real life instead of a script that was dreamed up in a studio one day. This is the kind of film that I can respect because it is more representative of true life than most other films.

It’s refreshing to watch a movie without feeling overstimulated by added noise and visual effects. This film is shot simply and focuses on the quiet solitude of the remote setting, Puget Sound. There is not a lot of music overpowering scenes. It’s very subtle when added. In fact, the film is so quiet that it makes the audience not want to move even a millimeter for fear that the noise would be amplified in the quiet theater. Many of the scenes are shot continuously with few cutaways or splicing together of multiple takes. And the camera is usually shooting from just a few inches or feet away from the actors, which creates a feeling like you are right there in the house with them the entire time.

Joslyn Jensen gave a fantastic performance and rose to the occasion. A lot of the burden of this film was laid on her shoulders as she was in every scene and often was the only one with a speaking role as Frank was catatonic. She was very believable and conveyed fear and sadness perfectly as the layers of her character were peeled back for us. This was her first feature film, and due to this breakout performance, I’m sure we will be seeing much more of her. The first time director, Mark Jackson, has worked with Joslyn before on short films/docs and wrote this part specifically for her to play. Ron Carrier, who plays Frank, has the tremendous task of portraying his character non-verbally for the duration of the entire film. He was able to convey loneliness, grief over the loss of his functionality and independence and the frustration over his situation of being trapped in his own body without ever uttering one word. His presence added volumes to the scenes he shared with Joslyn, and we ache with sadness and compassion for him as we watch him sit lifeless day after day.

Mark Jackson’s exploration of the loss of social connection was genius! If you strip away our connection to others, our mental stability often begins to crack. Being cut off in that way messes with our minds more than we would probably like to admit. Society has become so dependent on technology, especially smart phones, internet, and facebook that life seems unbearable without them. It’s interesting to watch Joslyn’s mood and mental state change the longer that she is without an internet connection. It makes you think about what you could do in that situation to keep from dying of boredom. She is desperate at times to entertain herself and becomes desperate to reconnect with the world. This desperation causes her to dig out an old computer to try to connect to the internet through dial up which brought about laughter from the audience at the absurdity of having to resort to such ancient methods of communication. This is the ultimate case of cabin fever!

Overall, Without is a dark, gritty and haunting film. After much frustration over the ending, I changed my view of this film. I think this is a movie that requires you to watch multiple times before all the pieces come together as a cohesive unit. This film should not be judged on just the ending. It won’t feel satisfying at first, but after contemplating all the scenes again you start to appreciate the fact that the director made choices in this film that sit with you for days. I watched 3 films that day at the film festival, and this is the film that I couldn’t get off my mind. I’ve continued to think about it for days. In fact, I couldn't really think of anything else. That is when it dawned on me that what Mark Jackson achieved was truly remarkable and unique. It is rare to watch a film that continues to challenge you days after the viewing. It’s one of those movies that you want to talk about with others just so you can hear their theories on the plot since so much is left open to interpretation.

Spolier alert!! I’m going to analyze this movie to offer insight into the ending. If you have not seen this movie yet, do not read the following unless you aren't going to watch the film at all. It will explain the plot with specific scene descriptions. I recommend seeing this movie, and if you do, you will not want to know certain details which could ruin the suspense. Come back and read the explanation once you watch it for yourself. Believe me, you will have questions about it afterwards.

Analysis:

So the movie ends without much explanation as to what really happens to Joslyn. The audience I was with was pretty frustrated and since it was shown at a film festival, we had the chance to talk to each other afterwards about our theories. I thought about this movie all night trying to rack my brain about clues that were given to us throughout the movie that would lend some insight. Was she being messed with by someone in the house, was Frank really more functional than he let on and he was the one messing with her, or was there a supernatural component to this equation? These were all possible options which were presented throughout the film but it was never confirmed. What is most likely looking back on it, is that Joslyn was losing contact with reality due to her isolation and due to her grief over her girlfriend’s recent suicide that she obviously had not dealt with yet. As she was watching old videos on her phone we were shown that she had a girlfriend about her same age. Joslyn appeared sad and lonely when viewing the videos. Later we are shown old text messages from her girlfriend that indicate that she was unhappy and suicidal. Joslyn ends up visiting her girlfriend’s mother on the island, and it is confirmed that she is in fact deceased. Joslyn starts to show more emotion during these scenes and her grief is starting to surface. Her downward spiral increases rapidly at this point. We start to see that this traumatic incident is the real reason that she is escaping her life and running off to a remote island. She came into this situation very vulnerable and this allows the isolation to play tricks on her mind as she is already fragile. 

As Joslyn becomes more cut off from the world, her behavior starts to change. There were clues throughout the movie that point to her losing her sanity. One of the most disturbing moments that got the most verbal reaction from the audience was when Joslyn returned from her date with a local boy. She is brushing Frank’s teeth and she takes the toothbrush out of his mouth and puts it into her mouth to brush her teeth. This is when we are certain that things are not right with her. The audience was very vocal at this point uttering, “She’s crazy; She crossed the line; That’s just not right; What’s wrong with her.” It was utterly disturbing.

Here are some of the clues that we get along the way that she is losing her grip on reality – she is shown drinking Bob’s bourbon several times as if she doesn’t care about the house rules or Bob finding out, she seems more out of it with each scene as if she is drugged or sedated, and her personality becomes more erratic and irrational. She starts to treat Frank in an aggressive and disrespectful manner which is the polar opposite of how she started off treating him. She appeared to turn on him after she saw a picture of his mistress as if she didn’t trust him anymore as an honest or decent human being. She calls it "creepy." She also began to suspect that Frank was the one messing with her. She thought he was locking her out of the house and moving her cell phone at night. She even had a dream that Frank was sitting at the kitchen table eating by himself out of his wheelchair signifying that he had been faking his illness the entire time. Upon waking from that dream she started to seem more suspicious of him and started to treat him differently.

When she sings a song to her iphone she becomes emotional and you can sense the sadness that she has been covering up. She visits the pharmacist twice to pick up Frank’s prescriptions and each time he points out the type of meds that Frank is prescribed and warns her of the side effects. He tells her that it can cause dizziness upon waking or standing. The second time she picks up the meds, the pharmacist also warns her about taking the medication herself but then tells her in a very creepy way that if she does take the pills to give him a call (this most likely did not really happen and could have been her imagination). There is also a prolonged scene where she is shown arranging his meds and crushing them up to put them in his food. This emphasis on the meds seems to suggest that she could easily be taking some of his medications, which would explain why her phone could be moved throughout the night without her remembering where she left it. It also would explain why she seemed out of it or sedated at times. Maybe the rash/bruise that appears on her back could be a side effect from the meds that often warn about causing swelling, burns, rashes, etc. Otherwise, the large mark on her back is never explained. It may be the result of lifting Frank in and out of his chair since this is extremely physical for her, but she is troubled when she sees this mark and she isn't aware of what could be causing it. It is one of the most frustrating parts of the film because it leaves us wondering what is really going on with her.

Some of the events that took place that still don’t really add up is why she woke up with her shirt removed one morning and a later scene showing her walking into the woods in a trance like state. These could be further signs of her descent into madness/grief, but we don’t really know why she would wander into the woods alone at night. Several scenes like that one created an extremely creepy and spooky feeling. I had chills when the footsteps ran up to her towards the end when she is lying on the bed. I was sure she was going to be attacked or captured. But nothing happened. She just sat there with a smile on her face as if she knew it was coming (another sign that she had gone off the deep end already). That is another truly maddening aspect about this film - the tension seems to build and build and you expect something to explosive to occur and nothing happens; so you are left feeling worked up over nothing. 

Out of character, Joslyn agrees to make a date with the local guy who has been chatting her up even though she is obviously not attracted to men. She spent the first half of the movie blowing him off and trying to convey to him that she wasn’t interested in his advances. However, after she makes the date she becomes preoccupied by what to wear to impress him, and she puts on an uncomfortable and awkward fashion show for Frank. Her date seems very smitten with her and he becomes persistent on spending more time with her. He shows up unexpectedly to the house and demands to come in and see Frank. He seems to have become more aggressive and forward, but it is not clear if this is just her interpretation of what occurred. He seemed very polite and respectful at the beginning of the film so a sudden change in character is suspicious. We already know that she is starting to see Frank in a different way and this may be along those same lines.

This movie takes a similar approach as Black Swan, which also left audience members wondering what was real or imagined. Both movies are shown from the sole perspective of the leading female character’s point of view. Each seem to slip further and further from reality and as they do, strange things start occurring to them. Since we only see from their perspective, there are pieces of information that we are missing that would give us more insight into what we are experiencing in these scenes. There were several parallels between the two movies. At the end of each movie once we start trying to piece together what occurred, we realize that we are only privy to THEIR thoughts and interpretation, which is deemed unreliable. This is when we realize that some of what appeared to happen only took place in the mind of that character and not in reality.

If we look back at some of the crucial scenes in this film we can see the clues that were provided to us. I believe that Joslyn was moving the phone. She was the one that discovered that there was only 1 bar on her phone in the house and that was in Frank’s room. When she finds the phone beside his bed the next morning, we assume someone else moved it. It is possible that she had been in his room during the night even after she went to sleep. She could sleep walk or if taking his meds, she could not remember getting up in the middle of the night. There appear to be gaps here. We just don’t see those scenes and she doesn’t remember being in there but that doesn't mean she wasn't. From the way those scenes are shot, I take it that we are to assume that there is something eerie going on but this is to throw us off, although her descent into madness is quite scary itself even once we figure out that nothing supernatural is afoot. She also starts to act out sexually by undressing in front of Frank and trying to take a video of herself while she takes her clothes off. She starts to cross boundaries, and it is clear that she is not stable enough to be taking care of someone else let alone herself. Her breakdown once Frank’s family returns in the end is sad and terrifying as we see how far she has decompensated while left alone with Frank. We aren't even sure how long it's been. We just know that it was long enough to push her over the edge.

This film is worth seeing again. I'll have to watch it again once it is released. It won the Nice Shoes award at the Memphis Indie Film Festival and has garnered quite a bit of attention already at other festivals. Mark Jackson is being singled out as a director to watch. This is his first film and he wrote and directed it. It is an impressive first feature.

3.5 stars out of 5 stars

"Without" Trailer

Harry Potter 7 Part 2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The End of an Era: Review of the Final Film and a look back 

at the film franchise and beloved characters.

Review by: Heather Hardison, Ph.D.

Well, it is very apropos that I am starting to write this review on Harry James Potter's birthday - July 31st. My obsession all started exactly 10 years years ago in May 2001. I had worked at Borders Bookstore the previous year and gotten a lot of crazy looks from customers who were reserving their copies of the Goblet of Fire and then heard that I had never read Harry Potter. I had to admit that I wasn't the least bit interested in a children's story but I had wondered why all these middle aged adults were so enthusiastic about this book's upcoming release. My curiosity started to peak a year later when I saw the previews for the movie release of The Sorcerer's Stone and when that DVD came out I decided to rent it and see what all the buzz was about. 

My husband refused to watch the movie at first, but fortunately I convinced him to at least start the movie with me and if necessary we could abandon it altogether if it wasn't interesting. Well, as they say "the rest was history." We knew absolutely nothing about the series except that it was about magic. It only took a few minutes to capture us. And by the end of the movie we both looked at each other in amazement and both said "Whoa we have to watch this again." Even though it was 10:30 on a weeknight we started the movie over again and thus started our love for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

We both devoured the first 4 books after this screening. We couldn't get enough. And waiting for the release of the next books was like torture. Looking back on it, it is those midnight book releases that I cherish the most. My husband and I would both buy copies of the books at midnight and read like crazy through the weekend until we finished so that we could discuss the new plot twists and new characters. And we were there at every movie release from then on. 

It's hard to believe it's all come to an end. There was a grieving process for the 7th book, and now I find myself faced with that same grief again with the release of the last movie. It was fitting that my husband and I, along with 2 friends who we had recently convinced to read all 7 books, attended the midnight release of the final installment. We had come full circle. The energy was amazing. To be surrounded by die hard Harry Potter fans of all ages felt right. There were Harry Potter rap battles unfolding in the theater an hour before the movie started. Audience members were dressed up as Draco, Harry and Dobby (who got the most cheers from the crowd). I actually felt out of place as I had not dressed up or brought a wand. But it was truly magical to behold. 

I knew that this would close a chapter in my life that had spanned 10 years and that had consisted of so much joy and excitement. We have read the books many times and watched the movies COUNTLESS times. It seems that a day doesn't go by that we aren't discussing Harry Potter in our house and there is HP memoriabilia in our home theater. You see, these aren't just characters in a book or movie. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are real people to us and Hogwarts Castle is a place we want to visit. I feel certain that if I had children that I would send them acceptance letters to Hogwarts on their 11th birthday. I know sounds crazy, but I'm that entraced by the magic.

As I looked around me at the theater, I realized that with so many teenagers present that this franchise lasted their entire generation. How could anyone just look at this as a movie. Harry Potter represents so much for those of us that have grown with the characters. 

As the movie started, the crowd cheered and applauded. I knew it was going to be one of those premieres where the audience was invested in every moment. When Ron and Hermione kissed and embraced, the crowd oohed and aahed; when Tonks, Remus and Fred died, we wept; and when Mrs. Weasley delivered the best line of the movie (you know which one I mean), the theater erupted. It was one of those nights that I will never forget. 

The only thing missing from this historical night was the butterbeer. HELLO!! Major marketing error here. Do you know how much butterbeer would have been sold had they released it only for this one special night in theaters around the country. Why does Universal Studios only get this special treat? And yes, I have been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios and it is amazing to see how realistic everything looks and sounds. I didn't want to leave the castle.

This final film delivered on many accounts including drama, laughs, emotion, grief, and closure. The only criticism that I have of the movie is that it didn't stay completely true to the books. Those of us who know every line had some confused looks on our faces during certain scenes. We get very protective of the original plot and dialogue so it is difficult to see a different adaptation onscreen. Overall though I felt satisfied with this ending. 

My favorite moment I have to say is also my favorite from the final book and that is when it is finally revealed that Severus Snape was looking after Harry all along due to his undying love for Harry's mother, Lily. This, to me, was the most brilliant plot line of the entire series.

For all these years, we have loved to hate Snape but also there have been moments where Snape comes off as very endearing, and the way that JK Rowling turns Snape into an unsung hero at the end is so fitting to the overall message of the series. There are those that have called for protests and boycotts against Harry Potter for being "evil" due to the magical nature of the series and this is very unsettling to me because my first thought when I hear this is that those individuals have never read the books nor seen the movies. If they would take the time to do either, they most likely would have a different perspective. The whole concept of Harry Potter is based upon love and hope. Harry Potter is a brave, courageous and self sacrificing young man who holds the weight of the world on his shoulders and in the end walks into the dark forest to face his terrifying rival ready to die for those that he loves. That moment when he uses the resurrection stone to bring back those that have already past on was one of the most touching for me. Harry is fueled by those that he loves - parents that he never met, a god father that died right after he connected with him and Remus, a mentor and devoted family friend. The fact that he was drawing upon their courage to help him face his own death is so powerful to me. And it is such as tear jerking moment when he says to his mother, "Stay close to me."

I ask myself if those protesters to the story also protest Disney fairy tales. Most of us grew up learning valuable lessons from these same type of fantastical and magical tales. Disney is my favorite place on earth for one reason - magic. Why would we deny anyone from enjoying the whimsy of magical stories. And Harry Potter is the best one of all. He stands for so much of what the world lacks today - compassion, love, honor, loyalty, courage, and sacrifice. 

The only thing that I felt that Rowling missed the boat on was the pairings of the characters. I have always felt that Harry and Hermione had amazing chemistry and I was devastated that they never ended up together. But if she couldn't be with Harry then Ron was the next best person for her. 

One of the best things about this final movie was that all of our favorite characters made appearances even if it was for a few seconds. This was very nostalgic for die hard HP fans like me. We also learned that you don't mess with certain characters like McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley or anyone from the Order of Phoenix. And just like in the books Neville proves to be very courageous and vital at the peak of the fight!!

No matter how powerful Voldemort believes himself to be, he is ultimately defeated in the end, and everyone in the theater cheered and some wept as the long fight that spanned all these years was over in a flash of Harry's wand. 

I can’t review this last movie without paying homage to all the actors and characters from these 8 installments. Watching the actors grow up over the years has been a joy. Most have developed their craft and discovered new levels to their acting.

Casting for these films could not have been more perfect. There have been those that have questioned Daniel Radcliffe as the choice for Harry but he is that character - period! This is obviously the most important role to get right and now it seems hard to even see him as anything other than Harry Potter, which could give him some trouble when it comes to type casting although he is doing his best to choose roles that stray from the squeaky clean persona that has followed him for a decade. Dan has done a superb job at channeling the angst, torment and internal struggle that Harry experiences across the span of the 8 films especially once the story takes him into darker issues around film 5.

Amongst all these dark and heavy issues dealt with in the latter films were moments of humor to lighten the tension. Ron, Fred and George provide much needed comic relief. It’s one of the reasons that Fred’s death in this final film is so tragic.

As much as I LOVE Harry, my favorite character has always been Hermione. Being the academic, know it all myself, I, of course, related to her the most. She is simply the coolest chick in the magical world. Not only does she master every spell and have "Hogwarts: A History" memorized, she can jump in time with her Time Turner.








She is the brainy and logical one that keeps balance between Harry, who is often times impulsive and too much of a risk taker when faced with the pursuit of Voldemort and Horcruxes, and Ron who is absent minded and not as knowledgeable about spells and the magical world. She keeps her cool no matter what the circumstances and she holds their world together when no one else could. Emma Watson is spot-on in her delivery of Hermione’s smart-aleck responses and overzealous academic pursuits.

Snape, played by the wonderful Alan Rickman, adds a mysterious intrigue to the story line. We have always known that there is more going on than meets the eye with his character, but we don’t find out what it is until the very end of the last film. It is such a satisfying plot twist that it may very well be the most brilliant in the whole series.

Dumbledore offers us all a sense of security and safety when he is present. No matter how evil Lord Voldemort is, if Dumbledore is around, it seems like everything will be ok. I do have to admit that I’m partial to the original Dumbledore played by Richard Harris but Michael Gambon did a nice job of taking over and added his own take on the role.

And then there are those dreaded evil Death Eaters that never seem to give up. Draco and Lucius Malfoy come across as the most despicable characters, but don’t we just love how well they can pull off being villains. And Bellatrix Lestrange gives me all the dramatic flare that I crave from a malicious villainess. Helena Bonham Carter plays evil and insane like no other can. She deserves an Oscar for her portrayal of this vicious killer who is always on the edge of insanity – or maybe I should say over the edge of it. I love her crazy laugh and psychotic facial expressions!

Finally, Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort is the most terrifying and grotesque character that I could have imagined. His role had to have been the hardest to conceive and to cast but they nailed this one. His nonverbal body language takes his performance to the next level. He never comes across as human, and all of his body twitches and tics make our skin crawl. I love when I’m watching a movie and I can no longer see the actor themselves because they have completely become someone else, and Fiennes does this so successfully.

The changing of directors for each movie or so actually seemed to give this franchise legs. I saw growth with each transition, and a new pair of eyes helps to make adjustments to the films that are necessary for the growth of the films and to allow each installment to delve further into this dark world at the height of the Death Eaters reign. Each movie is so very different from the rest. The only one I don’t really enjoy is Chamber of Secrets because the pace seems too slow and the actor's performance comes off as too unnatural. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were more natural in the first film but I have suspicions that acting coaches were brought in for the 2nd film, and it became too obvious that they were trying too hard. This is another reason I am glad they started switching directors after the 2nd film because the acting got back on track by the 3rd one.

I usually feel that books are always better than movie adaptations, but with this series I can't seem to make myself chose between either the movies or books because I can't imagine one without other. Rather, I feel that they are extensions of each other. This could be because I'm a visual person or because I was introduced to the series by the first movie and not the books. The actors bring JK Rowlings characters and words to life in such a vibrant way that I see the movie scenes and the movie actors in my head as I re-read the books. IF only she would write more books for us to devour. Maybe a prequel to the Sorcerer’s Stone or a new class of Hogwarts students with Hermione and Neville as professors. Anything to keep this magic going!!!

Out of all of the movies I feel that the first one is the most sentimental for me. Who could resist these baby faces? It's what I first fell in love with. The Half Blood Prince seems the most polished and Deathly Hallows (part 1 and 2) both seem to be the most dramatic and epic. Overall, I think films 5 and 6 seem to have the best visual effects. But the best book, in my opinion, is 7, although 6 is a close runner up. Rowling is the genius of our time and thank goodness that she had the image of Harry come to her on that train ride all those years ago.


I’m giving the final film 4 stars out of 5. I’m docking it for cutting scenes and changing plot and dialogue in such a significant way. There were too many times in Deathly Hallows Part 2 when they changed the dialogue or the whole scene to where it left out vital information from the book that could have enhanced the film scenes. Specifically, when Harry visits with Dumbledore in his mind in Kings Cross after he thinks he has died, they left out so much of the explanation given by Dumbledore about what had unfolded in the past years and why Harry had escaped death so many times when he faced Voldemort.

Also I found myself very disappointed in the final fight between Harry and Voldemort because they took out a lot of the exchanges between the two when Harry explains to him why he knows he will defeat Voldemort. This was so suspenseful and satisfying in the book and that is one area where I think they should have stuck with what was written exactly in the book. The book wraps everything up nicely and it would have only added a few more minutes to the final version. I think they could have gotten away with an extended scene there.

I've heard that some viewers thought that they should have cast different actors for the prologue that shows the characters 19 years later, but I strongly disagree. We have been with these actors for 10 years of filming and I felt that we needed to see them onscreen in those final moments. The actors pulled it off brilliantly and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks to all the actors that have portrayed our favorite JK Rowling characters for the past 10 years! It's been a pleasure!

And fitting for this occasion, after the last scene of the film, those audience members at the premiere who brought wands pointed at the screen and in unison proclaimed "Mischief Managed!"

Black Swan

Black Swan Movie Review

Heather Hardison, Ph.D. 

Dark, Thrilling, Intense, Twisted! Brilliant and unforgettable performance by Natalie Portman.

Spoiler Alert: There will be spoilers revealed in this review in order to truly dissect the film; so do not read if you haven't seen the movie. This movie is too good to be spoiled ahead of time.

Natalie Portman is captivating in this role. Her transformation into the black swan is nothing short of brilliant. It is so powerful that I feel there are no words to really describe it and I find myself wanting to make up new words to give her justice. She is perfect in her performance of Nina Sayers in both the innocent side of Nina and the dark tumultuous side of the black swan. Natalie draws you in during the opening of the film where she is demure, fragile, and reserved which is not a stretch for Natalie as she always exudes such elegance. To give a little background on the plot, Natalie plays Nina Sayers, a very committed ballerina who dances in a New York City Ballet Company in Lincoln Center. She is competing with several other talented dancers for the leading role in a new production of Swan Lake that is being directed by Thomas Leroy played by Vincent Cassell. The leading role of the Swan Queen is a very challenging and demanding role as it requires the dancer to embody conflicting personalities. There is the innocent and pure White Swan and the dark, sensual Black Swan.

Nina is undoubtedly the most technical dancer in the company, yet she lacks the reckless abandon needed to tap into the darker role. The director is torn over whether to give her a chance at this role as he is not convinced that she can let herself go enough to give in to the uninhibited side of herself that she has kept so well guarded. He sees just a little flash of this side during a kiss in his office and this is enough for him to take the gamble and make a sudden change in the casting. Nina knows this is her shot to prove herself which leads to constant practice and unhealthy routines and schedules. This gives us a glimpse at how grueling the life of a competitive dancer can be.

The sweet and innocent side to Nina is why she is the perfect dancer for the White Swan, but she struggles with mastering the Black Swan sequences as she lacks the ability to abandon perfectionism and technical ability for emotional and sensual fluidity. This is something she doesn't connect with until her opening premiere.

Her metamorphosis into the darker side is jaw dropping. It’s acting at it’s best. Duality is the word that stuck in my mind after this film. Her ability to embody both roles flawlessly AND to convey the terror she feels when she begins her descent into psychosis is what stands out as an unforgettable performance. This film is a real thriller and will have you on the edge of your seat during some really creepy scenes. 

There has been controversy over just how much dancing Natalie Portman did in the movie. Her body/dancing double has made claims that Natalie’s dance scenes have been overexaggerated. Does it really matter? Let’s face it – she didn’t win the Oscar because of the dance scenes; although she was magnificent from what I saw. She earned that Oscar for her portrayal of a woman riding the edge of insanity and who was terrified of the changes she is undergoing. Her ability to teeter back and forth in this duality is remarkable. Also, you have to remember that Natalie had to perfect her dancing technique as well as deliver an emotional and challenging performance. Part of being an actress is convincing us on all levels that you are undoubtedly that character and Natalie left no doubt in my mind. There was never a point when I felt she was acting. Rather, I believed that Natalie was so committed to this role and so passionate about making this film that she allowed herself to go where she probably hasn’t before. She appeared to push herself to the brink and lose herself in this role which parallels Nina's journey as well. By the end of the movie I couldn't see Natalie anymore. The Black Swan seemed like a completely separate entity at that point. Natalie completely embodied this character and it will most likely be the role that she is most remembered for.

The physicality of this role was another layer to capture for her performance. She trained for 10 months as a ballerina and did dance many of the scenes in the movie herself. The director Darren Aronofsky stated that Natalie performed 80% of the dance scenes and the film editor, Andy Weisblum told 20/20 that out of 35 body shots that Natalie did 12 but overall Natalie did a lot more of the other scenes in the film. He also stated, "It was sometimes hard for me to tell the difference...It was so close." Picking up techniques that usually takes several years to become proficient at is a daring feat in and of itself. And not only did she succeed in that aspect, but she turned in one of the best female acting performances of all time. I think her stand-in owes Natalie an apology. I doubt that anyone that saw this movie feels that Natalie misrepresented herself. It's clear that she owned that role in all aspects, and it is a shame to have anyone question her performance in any way after she poured herself into this role.

One of the best qualities of this film is that we get a unique internal perspective from someone on the verge of losing their mind at the time that it is happening. Normally we only have a chance to see this occur from the outside as we observe the character's odd behaviors and changes in their personality. Here, we see her descent into this demented world from her eyes which leaves us feeling unnerved and disturbed. I wager that most people left this film feeling creeped out and looking over their shoulders. I know I did. As a therapist this was particularly eye opening to me. Having this glimpse into her perception left me wondering just how terrifying it would be to someone who is experiencing these psychotic episodes. I'm usually looking through the diagnostic lens trying to capture and identify specific symptoms in order to make the correct diagnosis. But this film helps humanize this experience and highlights how confusing and disturbing these breaks from reality would appear to the person who is trapped inside this downward spiral. It can also be a very isolating experience since most individuals do not feel comfortable revealing to others that they are hearing voices or seeing demented images. Nina kept all of her concerns to herself and didn't even let her mother in on her predicament out of fear of losing her role in Swan Lake. The role of the Swan Queen meant more to Nina than her own mental wellbeing (a sign of her obsessiveness). This film will change how I interact with psychotic patients in the future. Instead of focusing on just the diagnostic criteria, I will be more concerned with addressing their fears and their emotional concerns regarding the strange experiences that they are enduring, now that I see how utterly frightening it would feel to be on the verge of losing their mind.

I was looking forward to this movie given my love for psychological thrillers. It delivered in the thrilling and mysterious aspects. In fact there were multiple scenes that had me baffled as to what was really going on. For awhile there I wasn’t sure if Mila Kunis’ character, Lily, was real or just a complete figment of Nina’s imagination. Also we aren’t sure if Lily is actually out to get Nina or if Nina is consumed with paranoia until the end. I feel this uncertainty adds to the intrigue of the film and keeps you guessing throughout. Also confusing are the scenes that are hallucinations conjured up in Nina's head. Only at the end of the film does all of this start to make sense which again gives it a mystifying aspect. Most of the comments online after the film was released contained confusion over several scenes, rightly so. The scene where Nina visits Beth in the hospital to return her stuff was particularly confusing to viewers. Knowing now that she was delusional during most of the film we can assume that she did visit Beth but that Beth did not stab herself. Nina's delusions had already taken over at that point and she was in the height of her psychosis. Nina was no longer in contact with reality which is why there are scenes where reality and fantasy are tangled together. We see the same thing happen when Nina imagines that the sex scene between her and Lily took place. We later learn from Lily that it never happened. Lily said she went home with a guy from the club and it was all a fantasy. Nina can't distinguish what is real or imagined. That could happen with individuals who are delusional, paranoid, and/or schizophrenic.

However, what is a stretch is that she would imagine stabbing Lily but stab herself instead. It is rare that someone would descend into insanity that fast without raising the suspicions of others around her. If this were to occur in real life, her mother who lived with her and interacted and observed her daily would have likely brought in psychological help. Or her mother would have taken her to the hospital for a psychological evaluation where they would have held her on a court order for mandated treatment considering how far she had decompensated. She would have been prescribed psychiatric medication immediately which could have saved her life. Instead she suffered a severe injury when she stabbed herself thinking she was stabbing Lily and as a result she died onstage at the end of her opening night as the Swan Queen.

We learn at the end of the film that Lily was not out to get Nina. It turns out that it was a part of herself (her alter ego) that was sabotaging her. Thus, Nina was caught up in a delusion, which lead to her demise. This type of delusion is what we call a persecutory delusion where an individual believes that someone is following them, is out to get them or is out to harm them. It is likely that Nina would have been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia if she had lived past her performance. To receive this diagnosis the psychotic symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, bizarre thought processes, etc)  have to have been present for a period of 6 months and can't be explained by any other disorder or medical condition. There is a strong genetic link for schizophrenia, and it appears that her mother has some psychopathology present as well.  Early to mid adulthood is the prime time for onset of this disorder which is about the age that Nina is in the movie. Stress of any kind (physical, psychological or social) can trigger a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia to emerge if the predisposition for the disorder is there.

Some reviewers question whether Nina's mother was actually in the room asleep in the corner when she was completing her director's assignment to touch herself. I actually hadn't thought that she could have imagined that. I am still not convinced that was part of her hallucination. Her mother's behavior was intrusive and odd, and it is quite likely that her mother could have been hovering over her. On the day Nina awoke after her complete breakdown, her mother was sitting by her bedside and had locked her in her room to try to keep her from showing up to her opening night; so I'm thinking her mother slept in her room on several occasions. That is part of their twisted and enmeshed relationship. Barbara Hersey turned in a rather creepy portrayal of Nina’s mother by undressing Nina at night, asking intrusive personal questions and controlling all aspects of her environment and daily life including when she could go out, what to eat, what to wear, etc. Barbara's performance is reminiscent of Joan Crawford’s Mommy Dearest role with a more disturbing feel to it.

My only complaint is that the black swan scenes were too short. I would have loved to have seen extended or additional scenes to showcase her embodiment of that role. This is what drew us to the film in the first place and it felt quite like a teaser that didn't deliver fully. I was left wanting more.

To add to the spooky feel, the addition of fluttering wings accompany creaking doors, sewing machines and subway rumblings in scenes throughout the film which was a brilliant move on Darren Arronofsky's part. Again this gives us an idea of what the world looks and sounds like through Nina's eyes. Voices, heavy breathing and psychotic laughter seem to unnerve Nina (and us) as she enters rooms and walks down dark hallways. This helps create the sinister tone of much of the film along with the frantic, shaky way the movie was shot. All of these aspects worked together seamlessly to create a masterpiece. Nothing about this movie is polished. It has a very raw, uncut feel throughout. I think is parallels Nina's frenetic perception of the world around her as well, which I appreciated. I don't think the film would have worked as well if it had been presented in any other way.

Black Swan also depicts the Ballerina world that is centered around perfection and total commitment. It is all consuming and requires utter dedication that often spirals out of control leading to disastrous results. It is the perfect avenue to stage a mental breakdown as the stress level is so high and so much rides on their ability to perform flawlessly on a consistent basis.

Nina's drive and commitment to dance not only lead to psychosis but other psychopathology is present as well. Nina appears anorexic and obsessive about her routines and technique. She most likely suffers from obsessive compulsive personality disorder and it is clear that she is a perfectionist as evidenced by her insistence on practicing routines well past a healthy limit and even through serious injuries. Even in her final moments she is consumed with perfection. Her last words to her director were "I was perfect." Also there is an unnatural attachment to childhood objects. Her room is comprised of dolls, stuffed animals and a music box with a dancing ballerina. When she speaks it is with a soft and childlike voice especially when interacting with her mother. To say she is sheltered and naive is a huge understatement. Her development is so stunted that it is scarier at times than her psychotic breakdown. Nina is most likely in her early to mid-twenties and still lives with her overbearing and over-involved mother.  She appears to have no life outside of dancing and no friends at all. In fact, most of the dancers in the company ostracize Nina due to her peculiar behavior. Lack of social support could also contribute to her breakdown. Lily is the only person we see that attempts to interact with her and she becomes a person that Nina suspects is after her.

Lily was a pivotal character in this film which leads me to wonder why wasn’t Mila Kunis given more recognition for her contribution. She was seductive, sensual and free from any social constraints. She was the perfect antithesis to Nina Sayers. I don't even recall Natalie Portman listing Mila in her acceptance speech which I was disappointed in. That brings me to another point. Leading up to the film a lot of the buzz about Black Swan was centered on the sex scene between Lily and Nina. Natalie Portman is even quoted in several interviews about the fact that this scene was added to draw in male viewers. If that is the case then that is a shame. There are so many aspects about this film that make it an extraordinary film. Those merits would have been enough to bring in and sustain any viewer (male or female). I don't think a 2 minute sex scene is necessary to make this film more desirable. In fact hearing that it could have been added for that reason alone almost cheapens it and certainly seems to bring into question the director's confidence in Natalie's performance. There should have never been any doubt that she could pull this off without the need of sexual exploitations.  

Obviously the most striking and also the most disturbing scenes are those toward the end where she starts to transform physically and mentally into the Black Swan - growing wings, legs becoming deformed into bird like appendages and toes becoming webbed. Truly magnificent and horrifying simultaneously but very dramatic!!

I'm giving this movie 4.5 stars out of 5. I really loved this movie and I'm so tempted to give it 5 stars because I'm in awe of Natalie's performance. However, I am docking it 1/2 a star because I feel that we didn't get enough of the black swan scenes. I feel that is the only drawback to the film. The whole movie builds up to the moment when she loses herself and is transformed into the black swan and those moments are some of the most brilliant I have ever seen on the screen, but I was left wanting much more. Natalie was so dazzling in those moments that I could watch her all night long. I think her performance is one of the greatest performances ever on film. I am ranking it up there with Charlize Theron in Monster, which I consider to have been the best to date and now they are equal in my opinion. Natalie is one of the best actresses we have now and I think she is going to be a consistently stellar actress for many decades to come. She showed so much promise at such a young age in The Professional and Beautiful Girls and I knew she would grow into a very successful actress. I just didn't realize she would reset the bar for Hollywood. I hope others are inspired by her work and challenge themselves to turn in more dramatic and mind blowing performances in the future. 

4.5 Stars out of 5

Natalie Portman is a Genius!! If this performance did not impress you then no performance ever will.