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Swimming Pool (2003)
Director:
Francois Ozon
Starring:
Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier, Charles Dance
Studio:
Canal Plus
Focus Features (US)
For more information, head to the Francois Ozon Official Website.
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Francois Ozon has etched his name into the contemporary cinematic lexicon with
highly challenging sexually-charged fare, chock full of shocking twists and turns.
In films like "See by the Sea" and "Water Drops on Burning Rocks", he's excelled
at presenting deliciously lascivious stories for the hedonist in all of us. He's
at the top of his game here, presenting what was easily the sexiest film of 2003.
In "Swimming Pool", the Bacall-throated Ludivigne Sagnier projects the type of sexuality that's likely to stir the loins of legions. She plays the playfully promiscuous French daughter (Julie) of a publicist who has loaned his house out to one of his clients, a lip-pursing mystery novelist (Charlotte Rampling) whose only goal is to achieve a little peace and quiet in order to get some writing completed.
The sheer force of Julie's sexuality creates both repulsion and excitement in Rampling's novelist, and ultimately she ends up getting a piece instead of a little peace. The story follows the spiral of conflict between repression and release, resulting in an ultimately explosive act of violence. In the end, Ozon makes the viewer question what they've seen with a few interesting and well-placed plot devices.
For a small, independent French film with a limited release, "Swimming Pool" performed remarkably well at the box office, due in a large part to the posters heralding the taut, tanned body of the luscious Sagnier. The actress reportedly worked out long and hard before the film to get into shape for the extensive leering glances of Ozon and the director spends an inordinant amount of time focusing on the actress' well-formed topside. Sagnier is regularly compared to Brigitte Bardot and for good reason. She's a pleasure to watch and a thrill to listen to.
Other January/February DVD releases:
January
Morvern Callar
Samantha Morton sparkles in an overlooked 2003 winner from Lynne Ramsay.
Thirteen
Catherine Hardwicke takes on the teen years with a heavy dose of realism.
Spellbound
Spelling bees rock!
The Rules of the Game
Renoir classic re-issued.
Capturing the Friedmans
2003's most talked about doc.
February
Lost in Translation
Subtle, cool, beautiful.
In the Cut
Jane Campion pulls Meg Ryan into a new kind of spotlight.
Intolerable
Cruelty
Coen Bros. get snappy with Clooney and Zeta-Jones.
Party Monster
A little Sevigny and some grown up McCaulkin.
Blowup
Antonioni classic featuring recently passed Hemmings.
Masked and Anonymous
Strange but fun Dylan ramblings.
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Written by Richard Sharp
Review Date: January 24, 2004
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