Swimming Pool (Unrated Version) by Charlotte Rampling

I tried out this DVD because it stars Charlotte Rampling - with her reputation as a great actress, and her 'French' elegance, and good looks - I thought the film must be worth a look - and I wasn't disappointed. I don't want to spoil the story - but she's plays a writer in England who takes a break in a friend's house in France - where they have a nice outdoor swimming pool. There she meets the owner's daughter - a young woman who is attractive and hedonistic - and immediately there is tension between the two. The acting between these two main characters is great - there's a kind of emotional honesty, which I don't normally find in mainstream films.What I love about this film - it's like taking a holiday ! - it takes you to a warm and sunny place in the South of France - with lots of scenes of : blue water; blue skies; French countryside; and sunbathing by the pool. Those scenes (all beautifully shot) make for a really upbeat film. It's the perfect antidote for a grey, dull British Winter ! The film has romance and eroticism - it has rivalry and a crime - and it has elements of fantasy and mystery. At the end, I was left wondering : what did happen ? How much of it was real ?I like films that leave you with those questions. In case you're wondering - yes, there are one or two sex scenes, and there is some nudity - but the film is more than just titillation - it's a good film !

This is a very stylish, very atmospheric, very French and also a very slow film. It's a mystery film about a mystery writer. The writer, Sarah (Charlotte Rampling), is a very British lady with much British restraint. At the invitation of her publisher John (Charles Dance) she spends time at his house in France to help her overcome a bout of writers block. And one can't shake off the feeling that she is expecting, or at least secretly hoping for, a visit from him while there. Or is it all a fantasy of hers? Because with her appearance, the short and practical haircut, the minimal makeup, her rather masculine style of dressing, one can't but wonder where her sexual preference lies.One night, completely out of the blue, arrives Julie (Ludivine Sagnier), a brash and vivacious young woman claiming to be John's daughter. The two women resent each other's presence but manage to arrange themselves to coexist in the house, the atmosphere charged with the tension between the repressed spinster and the promiscuous girl who brings home a different man every night. All the time there is the feeling that something momentous is going to happen, and when at long last it does, it is the murder of one of Julie's lovers. Here the film picks up a little speed and various twists and turns follow. You have to pay close attention to what is going on or you won't be able to make sense of it.The film is beautifully shot, much of it on location in France, and mostly in a rather muted colour palette of beige and greens, punctuated by the sparkling blue of the large swimming pool once the drab cover is taken off and it's cleaned up. This introduction of vibrant colour coincides with Julie's intrusion in Sarah's life of peaceful solitude. However, it is the performances of the two lead actresses that really make the film interesting. Charlotte Rampling is quite sensational throughout, as is Ludivine Sagnier who manages to give her initially rather unlikable character great warmth and humanity. Charles Dance is well cast in what is a rather small supporting role. There is quite a lot of nudity and several highly erotic scenes of a sexual nature. As well as being an integral part of the story, these are beautifully handled. However, viewers who are not comfortable with this kind of thing are probably well advised to give this film a miss.The DVD is good. English subtitles are available for those who need them. Any instances of French dialogue in the English version are subtitled in English. The following extra features are included:- Cast interviews (Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier)- Cannes 2003 - Red Carpet Footage- Stills Gallery- Promo Reel- Trailer

A lovely homage to the good old-fashioned 'English' murder mystery, with a thoroughly modern French twist, which proves to be a glorious combination.Rampling and Sagnier both give committed performances and it's great to see a beautiful veteran and equally beautiful young actor working so well together. Rampling's transformation during the film in particular is an absolute joy.Forget all the talk about sex scenes - there are very few, there is nothing explicit and if that's what you're watching for, don't bother. However, the leading actresses are both elegantly seductive, drawing you into the story by stealth. I suspect the main cause for alarm was Rampling appearing naked at 60-ish, but she looks wonderful.Clever little story too and while some people have been disappointed with the end, I love the fact that to an extent, it's up to the viewer to interpret what they see.One of Ozon's best, although he never disappoints.Sit back and enjoy.

Buyers please be aware that there are no English Subtitles, German only!I'm still keeping mine and ordering an English Subtitles one elsewhere online.Quite simply the best movie ever made!

THE FILM IS OK THE AUDIO IS TERRIBLE IT WAS IMPOSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ACTORS WERE SAYING. LUCKILY THE FILM WAS BI LINGUAL AND WHEN FRENCH WAS SPOKEN THERE WERE SUBTITLES

This one French film I thoroughly enjoyed. There is no pretention of making it a art film. A good story well presented.A mystery writer,Sara Morton, in mid-literary career crisis, comes to France to spend some time in the holiday residence of her publisher and finish her new novel.There she comes across the daughter of her publisher,who leads a very libertine life. They do not get along very well,but arrange to live in the house together with as less friction as possible.Then the writer slowly gets involved in the life of the daughter and the murder of her lover. This is where the real story starts.The line between fiction and reality merges. The writer finishes her novel and goes back to London. And then there is a last twist to the story. Watch the ending carefully.The cinematography of the film is a feast for the eyes. All the beauty of the French countryside comes out in vibrant warm colours.The whole atmosphere of the fim is charged with high power erotic esp. in the person of daughter of the publisher played by Ludivine Sagnier