Rating: 
Summary: A true masterwork of French cinema
Review: It's not hard to figure out that American film is NOT about subtlety. In their films, Americans LOVE to explode things, speed things up, steal a whole lot of money and kill a mess of people. Contrast this with, among other things, this astoundingly brilliant French film by director Francois Ozon.What makes this film so amazing is the multiple layers of ambiguity and meaning that so subtlely pervade it. Ostensibly about a successful London-based writer of crime fiction, Sarah Morton, the story takes some intriguing turns when she decides to use her publisher's house in France as a retreat to focus on her next book. While the initial intent is to write another in her series of crime novels, what transpires is a series of events so compelling, different, and unusual that the end result is very far removed from what Sarah, John (her publisher) or even the audience expects to happen. The catalyst for this series of events is Julie who claims to be John's daughter, showing up unexpectedly, initially rattling Sarah enough to complain intensely to John in a hurried whispered message in a France-to-England phone call. Julie is Sarah's opposite: Sarah's mature; Julie's young. Sarah's frustrated; Julie has plenty of sex with whomever she wants. Sarah's clothes are long and tight; Julie's are short and loose. Sarah's hair is short and tight; Julie's is long and loose. Swimming Pool is an apt title for this film--it's symbolic of what Sarah wants that Julie has. When you think about what this actually means, you begin to question exactly what is going on here: is Julie really John's daughter, or is she someone else? What does Sarah really want--to publish another crime fiction novel or to do something she has not done in a long time (or maybe not at all)? And what exactly is that? What is the creative process after all? Does it constantly change, moving like a randy lioness from one idea to another--like lovers night after night--mating/creating, mating/creating? After viewing this film, my friend and I had a long discussion about it and could not agree on a number of points. This is not a film to take lightly. It is a film you should see at least once, more likely twice, and think about. It is a film that merits special attention for the psychological nuances that imbue every frame. Very highly recommended, and one of the best films of the year.
Rating:
Summary: Reality/illusion, fact/fiction, Apollo/Dionysus and more
Review: THE SWIMMING POOL is a consummate movie experience. Rarely have we been treated to script writing, direction, acting, music scoring, and cinematography melded into such a cohesive masterwork. Francois Ozon is a fine, brave, and very sensitive director who has the good fortune to work with the always solid Charlotte Rampling and the newcomer of incredible promise, Ludivine Sagnier. On the surface the film relates the predicament of Sarah, a writer of murder and crime novels (the very British, uptight Rampling) who is dealing with being a 50ish female without a sensuous life but with a successful writing career. Writers' block leads to the suggestion by her publisher (whom she sees as a potential lover) that she go to his home in France for peace and quiet - a place to find the 'real woman' within the writer. Up to this point the story is fairly straight forward, but once ensconced in France (in a haven-like home in the country) Sarah begins to observe her surroundings, observe facts and people and gradually transfers those observations into a flowing book that represents resolutions for all her occult desires and needs. Is Sagnier's Julie (daughter of the publisher who just happens to pop in to stay in the house Sarah believes is her solo retreat) real or is she a figment of Sarah's writer imagination? And this is where many people who see the film diverge ways: are we watching an actual story or have we entered the fertile mind of a richly gifted writer, breaking out of her Apollonian state into her desparately desired Dionysian world? The story can be taken on many levels and to push one interpretation as the sole version would be unfair. It is such a pleasure to see a thinking person's movie in the midst of all the summer commercial noise. Treat yourself to an evening of very fine work on the part of everyone involved in this superb film. Make up your own mind as to what is real and what is make-believe!
Rating: 
Summary: Big yes mixed with big no
Review: On the one hand, those of us watching this movie are savvy and intelligent enough to not be watching the so-heavily-promoted SEA BISCUIT. On the other hand, to some extent, our experience is that of voyeurs. There are two main characters, one a girl, one a woman, each, apparently, the opposite of the other. The girl is a teenager, supple, soft, pink, luscious, curvaceous, a free spirit. The woman is mature, meager, tight, ordered and oh-so-neat, repressed. Yet it may be that the psychology of the girl matches the appearance of the woman, in that her freedom has really only one outlet, and one she may not really control: sex. While the psychology of the woman matches the appearance of the girl, in that her imagination is free and wild. (Is it her imagination? Or ours?) You have to sit through the entire movie to have these thoughts. Through the double twists. Three things in the movie struck me as outright wrong though, each a small detail. 1. We see a novel's manuscript pages both on a computer and as printouts. It is single spaced, and there is no separation between paragraphs, save when a paragraph ends on a short line. I thought MS pages were double spaced with extra space or an indent to separate paragraphs. We see her editing them. Normally double-spacing facilitates markup. 2. There is a dance scene. We had learned that the woman had gone through a kind of hippie period. Yet she doesn't really know how to dance. 3. She and her male publisher discuss a new work of hers and their comments are on the level of (though this is not actual dialogue): "It's your worst." "No it's my best." "Worst." "Best." "WorstWorstWorst." "BestBestBest." I'd expect more serious comment, including the inevitable one-upsmanship bantering. This seemed false. Still it's pretty interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Take A Plunge Into The "Swimming Pool"
Review: Francois Ozon's "Swimming Pool" had me going along with it for most of the way. I thought Ozon directed the film with confidence. You get the feeling Ozon knows he has an interesting story to tell. You seem to be in good hands. The performances are enjoyable. Charlotte Rampling after all these years still mantains a strong screen presense. She is still able to hold a movie together as the central character. And the acting done by Ludivine Sagnier is...well, it's something else. Much of my praise of the movie is due to Sagnier. Because of her "Swimming Pool" oozes sexuality. The camera seems to be in love with her. She just seems to glow in some scenes. "Swimming Pool" is about Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling) she is a novelist. She writes murder mysteries. And she is having trouble writing a new book. So her publisher, John (Charles Dance) suggest that she go to his estate in France. To help her clear her mind. Thinking that a change of air will do her good and provide some inspiration. So Sarah goes. Hoping for the best. To her surprise she enjoys it out there. Everything seems perfect. Lots of peace and quite. And soon she even finds herself hard at work with her novel. And then things turn upside down. It seems John forgot to tell Sarah one important detail. His daughter is going to be staying there as well. The daughter is played by Sagnier her name is Julie. These two are the female version of the odd couple. She's young wild and loud. Sarah is not lol. As the days go on Sarah soon becomes fasinated with Julie. She becomes very interested in all aspects of her private life. The men she is dating. Information about her relationship with her parents and even starts to read her diary. Now, I also don't want anyone to start to jump to conclusions and think this is going to turn into a love story between the two. It's not. And then yet again something unexpected happens. And naturally I can't say anymore. A lot of people including myself are going to feel confused by the movie. And this may cause many to say they don't like the movie. This is not fair. Just because the movie is going to make you think that's no reason not to like it. Others might say it's boring. It goes on too long. The movie is about 90-95 minutes. People who say this are just too use to watching faster moving Hollywood pictures and don't appreicate a movie that actually takes it's time to tell a story. Also, something I feel I should point out is this is NOT a foreign movie. I thought it would be, but, it's not. The movie is about 90% in english. Very little French is spoken. So is "Swimming Pool" worth seeing? Most audiences will enjoy it. Those who like slower moving movies will like it. People who enjoy Charlottle Rampling may like it. Fans of Ozon ("Under the Sand") might get a kick out of it. But the "average joe" will hate it. I admit the movie in it's last scene confused me. And others probably will become confused also. But, all I can say is, don't be afraid to think. Bottom-line: Interesting "different" movie experience. Rampling gives a good performace. And Ludivine Sagnier is truly something to see. Worth while for most moviefans.
Rating: 
Summary: SECRETS, LIES & ILLUSIONS
Review: Directed by Francois Ozon, SWIMMING POOL follows Sarah Morton, a frustrated and uptight British crime fiction writer residing in London, as she escapes to a sunny and relaxing house in the French countryside for a working holiday. But her peaceful solitude is soon interrupted when she encounters an unexpected and unwelcome visitor, Julie. First Sarah is frustrated with the selfish actions of Julie, but then she becomes fascinated and enthralled with Julie's activities. Sarah seems to appreciate Julie's company and she even incorporates her persona into her new novel. But their love-hate friendship soon turns dark as deception and lies leads to jealousy and murder. SWIMMING POOL makes the audience second-guess what they've just seen, and furthermore makes the audience slowly review the sequence of events after the film has ended. Full of suspense and thrills, SWIMMING POOL is a film well worth viewing.
Rating:
Summary: A unique movie-going experience
Review: "Swimming Pool" shows you that you don't have to spend $200 million on a special effects-laden blockbuster to build a unique movie-going experience. 'Pool' is unlike anything else being put into the marketplace today. Its surprising ending had the theater buzzing. As we left the film, the audience members all intensely questioned each other about their interpretation of what just happened. Then we all scoured an interview with the actresses and Director François Ozon that had been posted outside the theater. I can't remember the last time I was in the midst of a sensation like that. This is essentially a two-person movie: Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier share about 90% of all the dialogue in the film. For long-time fans of Rampling, this will be a 'welcome back' event. The real news is Sagnier. This 24-year-old has been off-the-radar with US audiences up until this point. In "Pool," she hits like a bombshell. And, this is only the start. She's now in production as "Tinkerbelle" in P.J. Horgan's "Peter Pan." Check her out now to say you knew her when.
Rating:
Summary: Sophisticated & full of surprises
Review: This is one of the best film I've seen this summer. This movie offers refreshing ideas & forces audiences to think of movies as a channel for intellectual stimulation (well, visual too - not for underage kids). It doesn't give away the ideas even at the end of the movie, the director wants you to give some thoughts to it. I absolutely love this movie. Each person is entitled to his/her own opinion as to the symbolism of "Julie", the meaning of the Cross & the taken off & putting it on by Sarah, the symbolism of the color red: as seen in Sarah's summer dress, the red float & the blood in the murder, the red-colored wallpaper in the room, the purpose & meaning of the midget woman and why she freaked out when asked what happened to Julie's mother, down to the last scene of the British-accented Julie, the juxtaposition of the "French" Julie and "British" Julie. This movie is very fascinating. It's the type of the movie to be discussed & debated even long after you leave the theater.
Rating:
Summary: Agree with above reviewers but...
Review: This film was very slow going for me. I wasn't exactly bored, but I did see at once where it was going, as many mystery readers probably will, and it seemed to take too long to get there after that.
Rating:
Summary: agony and the ecstasy
Review: This is a film that will really appeal to writers because its about a writer, a writer of mystery novels. Its about an English writer of mysteries and her peculiar personality and what makes it tick. If you know any writers or creative types or are one yourself you know they at times attempt to project strength and confidence as an attempt to protect themselves and veil their utter vulnerability for the aritstic personality is a notoriously unstable and unreliable thing. Charlotte Rampling is perfect as the mystery writer. She has a faunlike innocence about her still at age 50-something that makes her seem as fragile as an awkward teen going through an identity crisis and yet she also projects a keen curiosity which makes her seem capable of almost anything. Perfect qualities for Ozon's kind of psychologies. Rampling gives us glimpses into her characters constant struggle to maintain some kind of balance to maintain what must be a tenuous grip on sanity. She tries to keep to a strict regiment of yogurt and diet coke but when something upsets her she binges on chocolate pastries and wine like a starved animal. She gives the feeling of one not quite in control of themselves and their urges. What throws her off her diet and her writing habits is the arrival of a sexy young teen. She thinks her publisher has her given a quiet paradise to write in but then his teenage daughter turns up and Ramplings world is shaken. At first she is devastated and disappointed with the interuption in her routines but then she finds an interruption was just what was needed. She wants to create something different than she has before so she must find a new balance for herself and this girl is just the thing to purge herself of her old routines. Rampling is the star. our focus is on her psychology throughout but the young girl is played by a very talented young actress as well named Ludivine Sagnier. Whether it is the young interloper or some inner mechanism which leads to Charlotte Ramplings psychic transformation and renaissance as a writer is the mystery at the core of the picture.
Rating:
Summary: Intoxicating!!!
Review: Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling) is a British mystery writer at the very end of her creative rope. Hoping to recharge her creative batteries, Sarah takes off to stay at her publisher's house in rural France for a long holiday. Once there, Sarah finds that the open air and countryside agree with her, and soon, she begins writing again. Enter Julie (Ludivine Sagnier from Ozon's 8 Women), the publisher's young daughter, who has come to stay at the house as well. While Sarah tries desperately to work, her interest in Julie's volcanic life, both sexual and personal, boils over and begins to consume her writing and sanity. Refreshingly, `Swimming Pool' is a kind of old fashioned sexually themed mystery that few attempt anymore. The film comes from the mind of Francois Ozon, famed French filmmaker, and one who has made it a point to keep his career fresh with ever changing genre explorations (`Under The Sand,' `Water Drops On Burning Rocks'). His last film was the certifiable everything-but-the-kitchen-sink musical/mystery `8 Women,' and showcased that even when the material isn't all that sturdy to support Ozon's insanity, he still can create some compelling cinema. This is his first English language film and it is definitely a refreshing change from all the lackluster summer films. `Swimming Pool' takes place in a creative dream state in which reality can be hard to distinguish from the creative process. Ozon has decided to wrap a formulaic murder plot around this theme, taking the audience on a journey in which nothing is quite what it seems. To achieve full audience attention, the picture is also peppered with liberal nudity (Sangnier's character requires it) and heated sexual situations, mixing with the other elements to form an engrossing mystery which, eventually, has no resolution. As the film progresses, Ozon gets more abstract with his ideas, at the same time dropping clues to where this is all headed. `Swimming Pool' does have moments where it's utterly intoxicating and mysterious. There are some brilliant moments of suspense that would make Hitchcock proud. Reuniting with her `Under The Sand' director, legendary actress Charlotte Rampling seems to have found her acting niche with Ozon. This is a very mannered performance, with the audience following Sarah as she metamorphoses from an uptight snob, making careful choices in food, men, and ideals, to the laid back woman she becomes with Julie, partaking in drugs, friendliness, and voyeurism. Rampling connects the dots without skipping a beat, making Ozon's eventual explanation for all these events somewhat of a let down. She's great in a film that ultimately fails her, but it's often worth the time just to see how Rampling and Ozon get themselves out of these bizarre situations. This is a wonderful thriller, recommended to those who like to think and enjoy long discussions about the film right afterward. A deliciously clever mystery with bite.
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