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Swimming Pool
2003
In Francois Ozon's SWIMMING POOL, Charlotte Rampling plays Sarah Morton, a prim and proper British author who has written a successful series of mystery-crime novels. However, when she visits her London publisher (Charles Dance) in a dour mood, wearing a depressive pout, and complains that she's no longer his favourite, he .. Read more
| Starring | Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier, Charles Dance, Marc Fayolle |
|---|---|
| Director | Francois Ozon |
| Genres | Thriller |
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Swimming Pool
In Francois Ozon's SWIMMING POOL, Charlotte Rampling plays Sarah Morton, a prim and proper British author who has written a successful series of mystery-crime novels. However, when she visits her London publisher (Charles Dance) in a dour mood, wearing a depressive pout, and complains that she's no longer his favourite, he invites her to use his holiday home in the south of France as a tranquil escape to try her hand at writing something a little bit different. Once there, Sarah receives an unexpected and highly unwelcome visit from his bold, sexy, confrontational teenage daughter Julie (Ludivine Sagnier). The two are instantly at odds with each other, as Julie drinks, smokes, and slinks around the pool topless. Her loose sexual mores and mysterious late nights infuriate Sarah, whose puritanical unease is only exacerbated in Julie's presence. Wonderful scenes of Sarah writing at her computer, her lips twitching wickedly with twisted inspiration, indicate that the story is about to take a turn for the weird. And that it does, quickly, as booze-clouded activities by the swimming pool become dark and seedy.
In this immaculate thriller, Rampling and Sagnier ignite the screen with static tension. Stunted conversations, resentful glances, and strange insights about the personality of each character give the story a tangible electricity. The idyllic French home and sun-drenched swimming pool put an ironic spin on the haunting story. And as Ozon works his magic with pensive camerawork, providing moments of true visual comedy that only enhance the plot's intrigue, viewers will delight in what is at once an understated yet powerful narrative feat.
| Starring | Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier, Charles Dance, Marc Fayolle, Jean-Marie Lamour, Mireille Mosse, Michel Fau |
|---|---|
| Director | Francois Ozon |
| Studio | 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 38 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | 100 Feisty Females |
| Genres | Thriller |
| Language | DVD: French, English |
| Released | DVD: 17 May 2004 Production year: 2003 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (4)
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Charlotte Rampling's emotionally repressed crime writer and publisher Charles Dance's carefree daughter, Ludivine Sagnier, encounter each other in France when Rampling takes a working break to gain inspiration for her next book in this teasingly ambiguous study of creative angst and sexual tension. Director François Ozon continues to pry into the psyche of the vulnerable, while Yorick Le Saux's cinematography is key to establishing the contrast between the drab frustration of London and the scorching temptation of the southern French hideaway of Luberon. This in turn serves to reinforce the differences between the two women. But it's the skill with which Ozon and his stars explore clashing attitudes and universal urges that ensures this knowing melodrama is compelling viewing right up to its mischievous conclusion.
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Bored by her successful series of crime mysteries, uptight British novelist Rampling agrees to take a break in her... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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49 out of 71 people found this review helpful
A Guilty Pleasure - Like Peeing In The Pool......
There are three reasons why you should watch this film - Ludivine Sagnier in a swimsuit, Ludivine Sagnier topless and finally Ludivine Sagnier in the buff. Sexist? Possibly. Harsh? Not really considering the amount of time Ozon allocates towards examining every angle of her curvaceous young body. Now don?t get me wrong the plot is initially intriguing, the characters fairly well defined and the acting from both Rampling and Sagnier is assured. But for me the film never really ignites and after watching ?Water Drops on Burning Rocks? it felt too ?safe? and somewhat lacklustre in effort.
Arguably the cinematography is crisp but lacks any real imagination and whilst Ozon?s direction is confident, it is rather bland and more orientated, I felt, towards the mainstream elements of cinema. On the positive side, both actresses capture the stereotypical caricatures perfectly, with Rampling playing the dowdy but manipulative English woman and Sagnier the seductive but emotionally insecure young tearaway. However, I found the actual relationship between the two unconvincing and this unfortunately allowed me to pre-empt where the script was going.
Overall this is a solid if rather uninspiring film and is certainly worth a rent for the sultry pouting of Sagnier alone. However, if you are looking for a good thriller then I would advise you to look elsewhere and for a more risqu? example of French cinema try ?Water Drops on Burning Rocks?. 3 out of 5.
Extras ? Interviews (Charlotte Rampling ? 8m & Ludivine Sagnier ? 11m), Cannes Film Festival 2003 (3m), Stills Galleries, Trailer, Promo Reel and French Teaser.
Subtitles ? Only available during the French dialogue but these are clear to read. -
Most recent members' review
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6 out of 11 people found this review helpful
Making a splash ..
I thoroughly enjoyed this film, which mixes the two great settings of London, with a beautiful villa in the South of France. A slow burner of a story, but one that will keep you interested until the end. Well directed & acted, and shot in a Continental style. Great performances from Charlotte R. and the incredibly sexy French actress Ludivine Sagnier, who looks good enough to eat ! A classy, stylish movie ..
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