Swimming Pool | | Cast : | Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier, Charles Dance | | Director : | François Ozon | | Studio : | Universal Studios | | Format : | Color, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | January 01, 2003 | | DVD Released Date : | January 13, 2004 | | Language : | French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | Unrated | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 09, 2005 | | Summary | Remembrance of Things Past--or Chinatown? | Content
 | I wonder if the situation of the two awkwardly placed roommates, one a sensual hedonist, the other uptight and filled with a bristling anxiety, isn't Ozon's idea of a remake of Rampling's 60s hit, GEORGY GIRL, this time with Rampling taking the other part, the one Lynn Redgrave played in 1966? Remember when Julie asks Sarah if she did a lot of smoking pot in her day, and Sarah ruefully nods, replying, "Yes indeed, I was a part of 'swinging London' back then." She sure was!
I don't know if that would make SWIMMING POOL make more sense, but it was quite a pleasure to watch it thinking back to GEORGY GIRL, especially the scenes where Julie is having wild uninhibited sex while Sarah puts in her earplugs--then fails to put in her earplugs--and thinking back to the similar scenes in GEORGY GIRL when Rampling had that acrobatic lovemaking sequence with Alan Bates and poor Georgy is trying to think of anything else. There's also a scene in GEORGY GIRL where both women dance with Bates at the same time, just as there is in SWIMMING POOL when Julie seems to be trying to torment Sarah by inviting her to dance with herself and poor ole Franck.
As for what happens in the movie, I have no idea! SPOILERS AHEAD: I'm torn between thinking that the whole movie takes place in Marcel's head (like Proust)--and also agreeing with whoever dreamed up the theory that the "plain" Julia with the braces is actually the daughter of the topless Julie and of the disgusting John, her own father (John Huston?). If Julie really had a child at age 13, it's possible that the girl in the publisher's office might be her daughter (without knowing it, of course). That would make sense and account for some of Julie's wild, nasty, schizophrenic behavior, but on the other hand maybe her French birth accounts for all that. It takes all kinds! I expected more from this movie, but it held my interest right up to the end. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 11, 2005 | | Summary | Sex and a swimming pool | Content
| If your are looking to find an "erotic thriller" you might be disappointed with this movie. There is more mystery than suspense in Ozon's latest effort, as he explores misplaced identities in the French country side. Charlotte Rampling is Sarah, a writer looking to get over her block. Her editor gives her the keys to his chateau in order to have some valuable quiet time. Her idyllic retreat is soon shattered by Julie, a nubile waif who Sarah assumes to be the daughter of the editor. Julie is soon parading her men in front of Sarah, forcing an uneasy relationship between the two. In turn, the dour writer is compelled to rediscover her long dormant sexuality in a way one sees only in French movies, with an erotic tension developing over a handsome waiter at the local restaurant. The movie is well done, but there is surprisingly little suspense in it, making me wonder what the fuss was all about, other than a perky Ludivine Sagnier. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 26, 2005 | | Summary | Junk | Content
| A British mystery writer is scribbling her latest pot-boiler while sharing a house in France with a blonde vixen. They get up to mischief, sex, and murder. But is it real?
This movie is not as bad as watching grass grow, but only because of the blonde vixen. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 08, 2005 | | Summary | Not an American style movie. | Content
| Its pace is very leisurely, you might say slow, for the short attention span of most American movie goers. Very little action until, BAM, the grisly murder. Sarah is a sucessful, detective/murder novelist. She is sent by her publisher for a little R&R, to his French villa complete with swiming pool & blissful quiet. His young daughter Julie, arrives inexpectedly, with noisey sex every night with a differnt man. As first, this disturbs Sarah but, she is also curious & a little jealous. After initially clashing on this & other issues, they develop an understanding & sister-like affection for each other. Sarah is interested in Julie's life & Julie is interested in what Sarah is writing. A murder occurs & Sarah springs into action putting to use all the expertise she has developed in writing detective novels.
The tone is reminiscent of Hitchcock so you have to pay attention, with patience, for the payoff. The nudity is tasteful, & does not detract from but is an intregal part of this very enjoyable movie. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 10, 2005 | | Summary | Sexy but Strange | Content
| We watched this movie and it held our interest all the way through, although
I will say that it is very artsy and european and had a lot of charachter stuff
with not that much plot. For a long time you have no idea where it's even going
because there's not too much happening.
It picks up quite a bit as soon as the sexy young blonde girl enters the picture,
and she is soon very topless and showing her gorgeous young supple boosom
all over the place -- which is the very best part of the picture. There are some
provocative sex scenes too, but overall, the tone is strange.
It was a sexy movie, and it did provide a good warmup for some hot activities
later on the living room floor, where we got to put the techniques from the
NEW SEX NOW dvd to good use. |
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