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Black Swan

Black Swan

Drama · Thriller · Horror · 2010

A committed dancer struggles to maintain her sanity after winning the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake."

Movie details

Black Swan

“"I just want to be perfect."”

2010 Drama · Thriller · Horror 1h 48m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.7 / 10

Community rating

A committed dancer struggles to maintain her sanity after winning the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake."

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Black Swan?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Frankie & Alice

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A drama centered on a go-go dancer with multiple personality disorder who struggles to remain her true self and begins working with a psychotherapist to uncover the mystery of the inner ghosts that haunt her.

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A troubled young woman becomes obsessed with her mysterious new neighbor, who bears a striking resemblance to the girl's dead mother.

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's Ladder

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After returning home from the Vietnam War, veteran Jacob Singer struggles to maintain his sanity. Plagued by hallucinations and flashbacks, Singer rapidly falls apart as the world and people around him morph and twist into disturbing images. His girlfriend, Jezzie, and ex-wife, Sarah, try to help, but to little avail. Even Singer's chiropractor friend, Louis, fails to reach him as he descends into madness.

Passenger

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Suspiria

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A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up.

Barbarian

Barbarian

Horror · 2022

In town for a job interview, a young woman arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that it has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Darren Aronofsky

Written by

John J. McLaughlin · Mark Heyman · Andres Heinz

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

Nina Sayers / The Swan Queen

Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis

Lily / The Black Swan

Vincent Cassel

Vincent Cassel

Thomas Leroy / The Gentleman

Barbara Hershey

Barbara Hershey

Erica Sayers / The Queen

Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder

Beth Macintyre / The Dying Swan

Benjamin Millepied

Benjamin Millepied

David Moreau / The Prince

Ksenia Solo

Ksenia Solo

Veronica / Little Swan

Court is in session

Put Black Swan on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.