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Black Swan

Black Swan

Perfection is not what it seems.

2010108 minRMidcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Director
Darren Aronofsky
Starring
Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey

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

Where to watch

Where can I watch Black Swan?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Black Swan streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV.

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Highlights

What stands out about Black Swan?

Black Swan earns 17 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Modern classic.

Show 9 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is Black Swan worth watching?

Black Swan's Midcredits score is the 98th percentile of all films, from 4.3M ratings across 6 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

98th percentile

Better received than 98% of films

98th percentile among Drama98th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)97th
Approval (how many liked it)96th

80 /100

97th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Drama97th percentile among 2010s

Critics 79 · Audience 81

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

87% liked it

96th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Drama97th percentile among 2010s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Awards

1 Oscars won · 4 Oscar noms · 30 wins / 70 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Cinematography

99th percentile

4.3M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$13M
Opening weekend$1.4M
Domestic gross$108M
Worldwide gross$330M

Returned 25.4× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Black Swan is a dark, intense psychological thriller centered on a ballerina's obsessive pursuit of perfection, with a standout lead performance by Natalie Portman.

Fans praised

  • Natalie Portman's committed, Oscar-winning performance anchors the film
  • Aronofsky's visceral direction blends psychological horror with ballet beautifully
  • The score and cinematography create a haunting, seductive atmosphere

Detractors panned

  • Predictable plot and derivative of better psychological thrillers like Repulsion
  • Over-the-top editing and jump scares undermine the drama
  • One-dimensional characters and heavy-handed black/white symbolism

What stands out

Acting90

Natalie Portman's transformative, Oscar-winning performance; strong support from Kunis, Hershey, Cassel

AtmosphereDivisive85

Haunting, immersive world-building; dark fairy-tale tone

Cinematography82

Fluid camera work, striking black/white visuals, effective use of mirrors

Sound and musicDivisive80

Tchaikovsky's score integrated throughout; some find it overbearing

TensionDivisive75

Builds dread effectively; some criticize cheap jump scares

OriginalityDivisive60

Some find it fresh in blending genres; detractors call it a hodge-podge of better films

Plot and storyDivisive55

Derivative of The Red Shoes and Repulsion, predictable descent into madness

Characters50

Nina's obsessive arc is compelling but one-dimensional archetypes criticized

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Black Swan like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material completely straight, treating ballet and Nina's psychological unraveling with absolute seriousness, never winking or undercutting the horror.
The rideThe film sustains a pervasive tension that builds to a harrowing final act as Nina's grip on reality disintegrates.
StructureThe story follows a conventional dramatic arc: Nina is selected for the lead, struggles with the role, and the pressure drives her breakdown before a climactic performance.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

Haunting · 14% of filmsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film lingers as a disturbing portrait of self-destruction, leaving you with the image of perfect sacrifice and the unsettling ambiguity of what was real.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% (this title) · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Obsession: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA ballerina's obsessive pursuit of artistic perfection in a dual role destroys her grip on reality. The horror is psychological and internal, not an external monster, and the outcome is catastrophic, making tragedy the best fit.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfObsession
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% (this title) · Technology 1%

Self

Obsession · 3% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsArt · 4% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates Nina's obsessive drive for artistic perfection and how it fractures her sense of self, blurring reality and delusion.
StanceThe film presents obsessive perfectionism and the artistic drive as a self-destructive force, warning of the psychological cost of denying one's darker self.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalExperimentalSupportive music · hybrid
SettingA New York City ballet company's rehearsal studios, theaters, and Nina's claustrophobic apartment
MusicThe score blends haunting strings with selections from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, reinforcing Nina's dualistic psychological state.

Content guide

Is Black Swan okay for kids?

R

Black Swan is rated R: “Rated R for strong sexual content, disturbing violent images, language and some drug use” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (86/100), sexual content at intense (75/100), language at intense (70/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (66/100) and frightening material at severe (91/100). Overall it is heavier than 93% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 38 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland16
  • New ZealandR16
  • JapanR15+
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina+16
  • Belgium16
  • CL14
  • Czechia12
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreeceK15
  • Hong KongIIB
  • Hungary16
  • ID17+
  • IndiaA
  • Israel16
  • Italy14+
  • KZЕ18
  • MexicoB-15
  • MOC
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesR-13
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/16
  • RO18
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeR21
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
  • TH18
  • Türkiye16+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 95% of all filmsHeavier than 93% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 75%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 94%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 84%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 95%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: frightening material, violence, sexual content, language, and drug and alcohol content.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Black Swan have?

MovieCove's classifier found 6 depicted content warnings in Black Swan: Self-harm (severe), Medical procedures (moderate), Addiction or relapse (mild), plus 3 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

SevereSelf-harm
ModerateMedical procedures
MildAddiction or relapse

Cast and crew

Who is in Black Swan?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; Natalie Portman won the Oscar for this film.

Natalie Portman
as Nina Sayers
Oscar win: Academy Award — Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mila Kunis
as Lily
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Vincent Cassel
as Thomas Leroy
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Barbara Hershey
as Erica Sayers
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Supporting Actress
Winona Ryder
as Beth Macintyre
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Benjamin Millepied
as David
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ksenia Solo
as Veronica
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Kristina Anapau
as Galina
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Janet Montgomery
as Madeline
Sebastian Stan
as Andrew
newcomer then · star now

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Black Swan?

Movies like Black Swan include Suspiria (2018), Pi (1998) and The Prestige (2006). Of the 12 closest matches, several are body horror films, and several are films that feel cold and cerebral.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its subject: obsession. Those cards say what else they share.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with Black Swan?

658 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: body horror. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.