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Swimming Pool
2003 102 min France, United Kingdom R 16+
★7.0
Crime, Thriller
Director: François Ozon
Trailers
Description
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.
Budget:
$7.8M
US Gross:
$10.13M
Worldwide:
$22.44M
Starring
Charlotte Rampling
Actor
Charles Dance
Actor
Ludivine Sagnier
Actor
Awards
European Film Awards 2003
— Best Actress
César Awards 2004
— Best Supporting Actress
European Film Awards 2003
— Best Picture
César Awards 2004
— Best Actress
Cannes Film Festival 2003
— Palme d'Or
European Film Awards 2003
— Best Actress
European Film Awards 2003
— Audience Award – Best Director
Key opinion
Swimming Pool is a cerebral, atmospheric meta-thriller that centers on the dynamic between an uptight British novelist and a hedonistic young woman in rural France. While critics praise the film's visual style and compelling lead performances, some viewers find the plot's slow build and ambiguous reality-blurring conclusion either masterfully mysterious or narratively unsatisfying.
| Acting | Charlotte Rampling delivers a nuanced, anchoring performance that captures the protagonist's transition from stiff restraint to creative liberation. | |
| Acting | Ludivine Sagnier provides a charismatic and convincing portrayal of a provocative, sexually free-spirited 'wild child'. | |
| Production | François Ozon masterfully utilizes the sun-drenched French setting and the titular swimming pool to create a palpable, lingering atmosphere. | |
| Originality | The film’s meta-narrative structure, which blurs the lines between reality and fiction, keeps the audience intellectually engaged. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is viewed as either a deliberate, atmospheric build or an overly slow start that dwells too long on mundane activities before the plot gains momentum. | |
| Ending | The ending functions as a clever, revelatory wink for some, while others feel the lack of clarity regarding the plot and motivations weakens the narrative. |