Natalie Portman is really enlightened. She has unprecedented vulnerability and sensitivity, and she is more comfortable than "Stealing Heart". I was particularly impressed with the scene where she sat in front of Beth's mirror and stole lipstick from the drawer not long after the opening scene. Her performance is serious when she's focused, but I'd much rather see her act like a physical neurotic, her self-control is too heavy, just like what Thomas repeatedly mentions to Nina in the film is lacking. But there are reasons to expect more from her in the future.
On the other hand, from a professional point of view, her dancing lacks the quality she should have, so whenever she dances, it makes people playful, especially the stiffness of her upper body. Luckily Darren's camera moves in a variety of ways, trying to find the tension that her beauty and face can bring.
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