Film Review
After the overly stylised romp that was
8
femmes, director François Ozon returns to more familiar territory, that
of the psychological thriller, with
Swimming Pool, his first English language production.
There are striking similarities with Ozon's earlier film,
Sous
le sable: both are dark, compelling dramas with a small cast and minimalist style,
both involve the subtle interaction of reality and imagination, and both see the magnificent
Charlotte Rampling in the lead role. Despite the stark difference in the visual
style we see in Ozon's films, there is a strange sense of continuity and a gradual progression
towards a darker, more introspective style of cinema, a trend which
Swimming Pool
continues.
Ozon's near-faultless filmmaking technique makes this a seductive, evocative work, curiously
reminiscent of the style of those masters of the psychological thriller genre, Alfred
Hitchcock and Claude Chabrol. The cinematography is so beautiful that the spectator's
gaze is constantly drawn to the screen, whether the camera is locked onto a gently lapping
swimming pool or is lustfully panning along the outstretched naked form of one of the
film's two leading ladies. Yet in addition to this sensual thrill there is
something else, something which engages the intellect and holds our fascination.
As in all of Ozon's work, there is a mystery at the heart of this film, and one that is
- frustratingly for the spectator - rather abstract and not even partly explained.
The most ambiguous and baffling of the director's films to date,
Swimming Pool
shows us many visual clues and leaves it to us, the voyeurist intruder, to assemble them
into a coherent whole. Those who rise to this challenge will doubtless enjoy the
film; those who can't be asked will - justifiably - feel they've been had.
A strong cast is another of Ozon's hallmarks and in this department
Swimming Pool
certainly does not disappoint. Charlotte Rampling, who gave such a memorable performance
in
Sous le sable, is perfect for the part of the archetypal English crime writer
- a cool, staid exterior barely containing a torrent of pent-up emotions. She is perfectly complemented by Ludivine Sagnier, a talented young actress
who has starred in two of Ozon's previous films. Totally transformed into
a Bardot-esque object of desire, Sagnier shows herself to be a mature and capable actress
who is clearly destined for a hugely successful international film career.
The film has been criticised for its abstract nature, reliance on stock clichés
and predictable ending. It is certainly true that
Swimming Pool is not François
Ozon's best work to date - it lacks the cool Germanic style of
Gouttes d'eau sur pierres
brûlantes, the vulgar originality of
8 femmes and the aching, introspective
depth of
Sous le sable. Yet it is a mesmerising, haunting work - an exploration
of the creative process and a carefully observed portrayal of how one human being can
be affected by interactions with other human beings. And, for the less intellectually
endowed, there are plenty of erotic shots of Ludivine Sagnier to drool over and savour
(in a purely artistic sense, you understand). All in all, an intriguing and skilfully
crafted piece of cinema.
© James Travers 2004
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Next François Ozon film:
5x2 (2004)
Film Synopsis
Sarah Morton is a successful writer of crime fiction. Feeling the time has come
for her to attempt a more serious novel, she accepts an offer from her publisher, John
Bosland, to work at his holiday home in the South of France. Not long after Sarah
has begun her new novel, she is disturbed by the arrival of a young woman, Julie, who
claims to be her publisher's daughter. Sarah, a repressed middle-aged spinster,
is not pleased to share the house with a totally sexually liberated brat who is barely
out of kindergarten. Yet she is strangely drawn to Julie, who provides the inspiration
she has been looking for. Likewise, Julie is affected by Sarah's presence - but
not necessarily for the better...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.