Hi there!
Whew - where did the summer go? I can get back to writing reviews again now.
I'm hav...
Hi there!
Whew - where did the summer go? I can get back to writing reviews again now.
I'm havin' a buzzin' time right now, getting excited about this site called ciao.
As the name suggests, movies are my passion.
BuzzinMovies
Member since:26.02.2005
Reviews:6
Members who trust:2
There have been quite a selection of films directed by Francois Ozon shown at my local cinema recently. The first one I saw was the colourful, and musical, "8 femmes", next was "Under the sand". Then came "Swimming Pool". It's his first English language film, so it seems there could be more chance of it getting distributed more widely. Charlotte Rampling, who of course does a creditable French accent, although she is usually still cast as an English woman, appeared in his "Under the sand" and she also has the lead role in "Swimming Pool".
<< What is it about? >> Rampling plays a crime writer, Sarah Morton, who, in an attempt to get the creative juices flowing, goes to stay in her publisher's house in Provence. Charles Dance plays the publisher, and his daughter, Julie is played by Ludevine Sagnier. She appeared in "8 femmes" in a rather more sedate role. In "Swimming Pool", her character is very confident about her body, and there's plenty of nude swimming and sunbathing. And that's not all she gets up to - she comes across as sexually precocious, to put it one way - all of which gets the possibly repressed and prudish Sarah (Rampling) very uppity. But maybe it's all just jealousy on her part. To sum up, the arrival of Julie represents an end to the peace and quiet that Sarah was hoping to get - It's mostly about the relationship between the two women, but various locals (men) do appear as well. The waiter at a tavern in the village features quite a lot, both because Sarah fancies him, and because she likes her food. There's no holding back with the profiteroles in this little vacation!
<< Is it any good? >> It's not bad. The actors are very good, and it looks good - scenes of rural France, female sunbathing bodies… it's bound to look good, isn't it? A lot of the reason for this movie's success is the fact that it relies just as much on things which are unseen, or unsaid, as it does on what is shown - overall I'd describe it as a psychologically-themed and psychologically-charge movie. The plot is very good - meticulous in fact. It's very much a movie with an are-things-what-they-seem theme as well (to use a clumsy turn of phrase!). But I'd also say that it's in danger of being too clever by half - or by a quarter at any rate - and ultimately leaves you with the sense that it could have been so much better.
The movie is 100 minutes long French with subtitles Certificate 12
<< Availability >> The DVD is £8.97 (amazon)
<< DVD features >> The extras are not very impressive. There's a quick interview with Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier; a featurette about the Cannes screening; and the usual trailers
<< What's the main reason to see this movie? >> It looks good - scenes of rural France, female sunbathing bodies… Plenty to make you feel relaxed and yearn for that summer holiday in the sun. And it's got that touch of French (by which I mean not too much French, bearing in mind some of the cast are British) which makes it not too overpowering and serious like a lot of French movies.
The 4 star rating is possibly slightly on the high side - 3 and a half would be more accurate!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: K.C. Bascombe - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jesse James, Rachel Skarsten, Charles Powell, Linda Purl, Kevin Zegars
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
In terms of alluring female nudity,Swimming Poolshows a lot, but it's what remains ... more
concealed that gives this erotic thriller a potent, voyeuristic charge. With his Hitchcockian handling of secrets and lies, prolific French director François Ozon reunit...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
In terms of alluring female nudity,Swimming Poolshows a lot, but it's what remains ... more
concealed that gives this erotic thriller a potent, voyeuristic charge. With his Hitchcockian handling of secrets and lies, prolific French director François Ozon reunit...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Nice shots of pool; glimpses of the Luberon region. Disadvantages: Sophomoric acting, gratuitous nudity, sex, story - in short, a gratuitous movie!
zerbine28 20.01.2006 (20.01.2006)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Swimming Pool (DVD)
Advantages: Nice shots of pool; glimpses of the Luberon region. Disadvantages: Sophomoric acting, gratuitous nudity, sex, story - in short, a gratuitous movie!
zerbine28 20.01.2006 (20.01.2006)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Swimming Pool (DVD)
![Swimming Pool [DVD] [2003] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/75103536.jpg "Swimming Pool [DVD] [2003] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]")
![Swimming Pool [DVD] [2003] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/70667731.jpg "Swimming Pool [DVD] [2003] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]")
May 10th, 2005
very helpful by (83%):
helpful by (17%):
![Swimming Pool [2003] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/90405135.jpg)
