SWIMMING POOL
Directed by: François Ozon.
Produced by: Olivier Delbose & Marc Missonnier.
Written by: Emmanuèle Bernheim & Ozon.
Director of Photography: Yorick Le Saux.
Edited by: Monica Coleman.
Music by: Philippe Rombi.
Released by: Focus.
Country of Origin: France/UK. 102 min. Rated: R.
With: Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier & Charles Dance.
DVD Special Features: English & Spanish Subtitles.

Director Ozon's new sleight of hand psychological thriller is the art house equivalent of the beach novel: intriguing but ultimately vacuous. Greeted by a fan, best selling London mystery writer Sara Morton (Rampling), declares, "I am not the person you think I am." Wanting peace and quiet to write, she accepts her editor's (Dance) offer to stay in his home in Provence. Her idyllic stay there abruptly ends upon the intrusion of the doe-eyed blond Julie (Sagnier), John's daughter. As in Ozon's 8 Women, the lead characters are broadly depicted--Julie dresses like a trailer trash whore and the reserved English woman is physically so stiff she can hardly dance, even when intoxicated. The plot's twists and turns are straight out of pulp fiction, while the erotic undertone and gratuitous nudity are more in keeping with Sex and Lucía than Agatha Christie. Rampling, looking like Helen Mirren's twin sister, is one of the few actors whose mouth is as expressive as her eyes. And having played a naive school girl in 8 Women, Sagnier is stunningly transformed into a sexpot. But unfortunately, the weak ending, which doesn't add up to much, is a disappointment, completely negating any suspense. KT
July 7, 2003