It was advertised as a
psychological thriller, I had purchased the DVD long back, was waiting for the
right time to watch the film. It was worth the wait. Brilliant story that deals
with the psychology of perfection and achievement motivation. At the present
day, when the achievement motivation is on rise and the world more complex and globalized,
a film of this kind act as a warning signal. it deals with the peril of
innocence when it meets the desperate desire for perfection and competition.
Innocence and corruption are two
poles of a spectrum. What happens when one has to display both to win the race?
Nina’s mother is a failed dancer,
like most of the parents she wants her daughter to succeed where she failed. At
the same time, she wants her daughter to always remember the sacrifice she had
made for her. So Nina seeks perfection in all she does especially in dance. Her
role model is Beth, the reigning super star, who has perfected the dance of
swan queen. The time changes and Nina is selected to play the main character.
Beth who is the symbol of perfection and glory for Nina, is devastated and
attempts to commit suicide, but survives the attempt and lives a miserable
life.
The dilemma in front of Nina is: if
I do not succeed I will be like my mother who sees herself as a failure and
lives a life of misery. If I succeed like Beth, one day I too will lose the top
position and live miserably like Beth. If you succeed you are doomed, if you
fail you are doomed. Classical case of catch-22.
What a way to look at life,
pessimism at its best. The mind is hard wired to notice negative things, since
it helps us to avoid danger and ensures our survival. But when it is out of
control, life can become a torture. If you enjoy, you feel guilty. If you are
miserable, you feel bad. Nina has to play the role of swan Queen in the play. And
the swan queen too faces this dilemma, and swan queen solves the problem by
embracing death. Does Nina too follow the same fate? Director ends the film in
a most ambiguous manner, letting viewer to conclude the story.
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