Swimming Pool

2003 "On the surface, all is calm."
6.7| 1h42m| R| en| More Info
Released: 02 June 2003 Released
Producted By: France 2 Cinéma
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.marsdistribution.com/xml/flash.html?cfilm=46022
Info

A British crime novelist travels to her publisher's upmarket summer house in Southern France to seek solitude in order to work on her next book. However, the unexpected arrival of the publisher's daughter induces complications and a subsequent crime.

Genre

Thriller, Crime

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Swimming Pool (2003) is currently not available on any services.

Director

François Ozon

Production Companies

France 2 Cinéma

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Swimming Pool Audience Reviews

GamerTab That was an excellent one.
Evengyny Thanks for the memories!
SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.
Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
dissident320 It has some interesting elements and Charlotte Rampling is excellent. The story has some meta-elements of her being a mystery author and getting caught up with some of her subject matter while on a writing getaway. It's primarily about her being a voyeur and using some of these observations in her novel.It had a decent ending which made me want to give it a little bit higher of a rating. Overall it's well-made but unremarkable.
Wuchak Released in 2003, "Swimming Pool" is a drama/psychological thriller about a popular English novelist named, Sarah (Charlotte Rampling), who vacations at her publisher's villa in France to find inspiration for her next book. Unfortunately, the publisher's oversexed daughter, Julie (Ludivine Sagnier), visits and disrupts her activities.If you remember 70s' films like "Orca" and "Zardoz" you'll know that Rampling was stunning in her physical prime in a looks-that-kill way. In "Swimming Pool" she's still in decent shape for a woman verging on 60, but her character's a joyless biyatch desperately seeking inspiration. Julie, by contrast, is young, friendly and overflowing with sexuality, but – like Sarah – she's not a pushover in the least.Sagnier shines as the wild child French hottie. There's just something about the female French accent that's a turn-on. Despite her sexiness, it's clear in some scenes that Julie's actually sort of plain in a girl-next-door kind of way. It's what she does with what she's got that makes her stunning.Like 2005's "Match Point," "Swimming Pool" is the antithesis of the modern 'blockbuster' and all its moronic trappings -- there's no quick editing, no CGI, no goofy one-liners, no explosions and no promise of $400 million at the box office. No, "Swimming Pool" is movie-making based simply on excellent writing and cinematic storytelling. The end is a revelation to the viewer even if you were expecting it, particularly because, if you research it, it's way more than even that, believe it or not. It's amazing how good writing & storytelling can create a 'Wow' reaction more so than the most elaborate overkill action sequence with all its requisite CGI and explosions.The film runs 102 minutes and was shot in Luberon, Vaucluse, France, and London.GRADE: A- ***SPOILER ALERT*** (Don't read further if you haven't seen the film) The obvious interpretation is that Julie isn't real, but rather a character created by Sarah for her next book whereas Julia is the publisher's real daughter, revealed at the end. People who draw this conclusion, like me on my first two viewings, are on the right track, but this interpretation is only accurate to a point. For details see the thread on the IMDb message board "The Definitive Answer / Color-Key to Swimming Pool."
Mr_Ectoplasma "Swimming Pool" focuses on Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling), a British crime novelist who takes a vacation at her publisher's luxurious summer house in a small villa in Southern France to unwind and write her next book, which she seeks to aim in a different direction from her standard crime stories. Unfortunately for Sarah, after only a few days in the house, she is invaded by her publisher's troubled adult daughter who comes to stay there unannounced; what ensues is a rise in tension between the two, and a potential murder mystery that begins to unravel.Francois Ozon's dreamy thriller is not for the fast-paced crowd; it's a consciously slow film, meandering through a seemingly straightforward narrative that turns everything the audience knows (or thinks they know) on its head. Some have complained that nothing "happens" in the film, which is ridiculous; plenty happens. A lot of it is rather mundane, yes, but what's happening behind the mundane and the way in which Ozon crafts this layering is what's special about this film. Charlotte Rampling's performance as the stern and sexually frustrated writer is rich and impressive, and Ludivine Sagnier rises to the challenge, playing the damaged and troublesome young daughter of her publisher in a way that is both irritating and mysterious. The quality of these performances is vital to the success of the film, as the narrative progression (and unraveling) hinges entirely on their interactions, and both actresses deliver with a unique and appropriate chemistry.It's an ambiguous film that leaves a lot of loose ends, although, unlike some suggest, it does point to a clear conclusion. No less, the ninety minutes that precede the finale of the film are puzzling and haunting in spite of the apparent lack of anything frightening or wildly unusual. The possibility of Sarah's paranoia and mental state are worked into this, and her reliability as a narrator lends the film even more layers to sift through, but that's where its charm lies. The perhaps ordinary reckless teenage antics of Julie are framed by Ozone as disturbed and dangerous, and her intentions consistently laden with potential ulterior motives. The dreamy cinematography and lush filming locations add a thick atmosphere that makes this already bizarre film a complete treat for anyone who enjoys off-kilter cinema."Swimming Pool" is a film whose strength lies in everything that's unsaid, and this unusual dynamic is accentuated by solid performances and a finely-tuned script with a surprising and yet not-so-surprising conclusion. It's a film that relies on nuance and strangeness to propel it to its conclusion, but it's up to the viewer to decide what ultimately is more important— the truth, or the pretense that preceded it. 9/10.
hall895 Swimming Pool is one of those films which leaves you questioning everything you've seen. Once it concludes you immediately start running the whole thing back in your mind, trying to piece it all together. It's a film which entertains you while also compelling you to think. That's a very good combination. It is a slow film, taking its time in setting itself up and really taking its time in fully revealing itself. But while there may be moments where you wish the film would pick up the pace it certainly manages to hold your interest throughout. And in the end it is clearly worth having taken the sometimes slow journey towards its intriguing conclusion.The story follows middle-aged English novelist Sarah Morton who, with a bad case of writer's block, has holed up at her publisher's French country house. Alone there Sarah can clear her mind and find her inspiration. But she won't be alone for long, her peaceful serenity disrupted when her publisher's young, nubile and quite oversexed daughter Julie shows up to stay in the house with her. To say that Sarah and Julie don't hit it off would be putting it mildly. Furious with the intrusion Sarah calls her publisher to complain but oddly seems unable to reach him. Little oddities continue to pile up. What exactly is going on here? The film is not going to give up its secrets that easily, you have to wait to the end. But there is really good entertainment to be had as the plot weaves its way to the finish. Sarah does find her inspiration. Where she finds that inspiration and what it leads to is both surprising and smart. Writer/director François Ozon thought his story out very well and executed it in fine fashion.The film's smart, compelling and very intriguing story is played out very well by Charlotte Rampling playing Sarah and Ludivine Sagnier playing Julie. There are other characters who come in and out of the story but it is really all about Sarah and Julie. And both Rampling and Sagnier do excellent work portraying these two very different women. Sarah is cold, stern, reserved. Julie is free, open, wild, full of life. And prone to quite often putting her bodily assets on full naked display. As much as acting the part looking the part was important for the character of Julie and Sagnier is certainly up to the task there. The initial clash between the two main characters is inevitable. But as the story evolves the characters do too and Rampling and Sagnier capture the evolution wonderfully. As Sarah and Julie come to understand each other a little better you would think things in the home would become a little more peaceful. In reality it is at this point where the drama and tension get ratcheted up. The film has some thrills in store. In the end the film gives you much to appreciate. And much to think about.