Black Swan (2010)

What is it with the term "Black Swan"? Ever since pompous finance writer and self-styled "flaneur" Nassim Taleb coined the term in his books "Fooled by Randomness" and "Black Swan", we're hearing it everywhere these days. On CNBC at the moment they're even talking about "Black Swan fatigue". Admittedly, the concept does seem have come into its own in recent times: from the GFC of 2008 to the Japan earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown trifecta earlier this year, we seem to be surrounded by "unknown unknowns": events that were simply outside the framework of everyday expectations. And don't forget global warming --- probably the biggest black swan of all.

That's all very interesting, but it has bugger-all to do with a pretentious hollywood film about a pampered ballerina who goes insane while trying to nail the lead role in a production of the Swan Lake ballet (and simultaneously trying to elude being nailed by the play's director, a gloriously hammy Vincent Cassel). So I guess my first problem with this movie was the shamelessly zeitgeist-tapping misappopriation of the term "Black Swan" for its title.

But it wasn't my last problem. Don't buy into the hype: Natalie Portman writhing in her bed in a delusional state does not an oscar-worthy performance make. This movie, massively over-hyped, is in reality a massive bore. The psychological aspects seem contrived, the controlling mother attempting to live through her daughter is a tired cliche, and the denouement is telegraphed so clearly you can practically hear the morse code being tapped out.