"The 57-year-old Charlotte Rampling reveals a body that most teens would die for." Harvey S Karten COMPUSERVE "Women will have to explain what happened to the men on the way out, as they're gathering their unfurled tongues off the theatre floor and pushing their spring-loaded eyes back into their sockets." Jon Popick PLANET SICK-BOY "It's worth seeing twice just for the privilege of watching Rampling and Sagnier match each other stroke for stroke." Glenn Kenny PREMIERE MAGAZINE "A fine sunlit noir, oozing sensuality and menace." Michael Wilmington CHICAGO TRIBUNE "Works as a character study and a quiet thriller." Chris Vognar DALLAS MORNING NEWS "A titillating and unhurried character drama with all the trappings of a thriller, but with erotiscm substituted for danger driven tension." Joshua Tyler FILM HOBBIT

"Swimming Pool comes by its 'erotic thriller' label honestly, not merely because the women are naked, but because they deploy their sexuality in a way that's crucial to the narrative." Gary Thompson PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS "Ozon takes us for a dip into a swimming pool that is as tempting as it is out of reach for those who prefer diving into deeper water." Dennis Schwartz OZUS' WORLD MOVIE REVIEWS "Visually arousing and perceptive in its sexy cynicism, Pool allows one to dip more than just their reluctant toe in the cool and calming turquoise waters...provocative" Frank Ochieng MOVIE EYE "Rampling and Sagnier are very good in roles that demand very different things of them, and Ozon's mix of peril and playfulness make for a seductive cinematic diversion." Steven Rea, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER "This movie shares with Under the Sand, Ozon's previous collaboration with Rampling, a sense of mystery and languid eroticism." Bruce Newman SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

At A Glance

"Nudity and intelligent musings: What more could you ask for?" Kim Morgan REEL.COM

There's no doubting it, French director and writer François Ozon has produced a real winner with "Swimming Pool" and that's not just because we viewers get to see Charlotte Rampling sensationally nude while seducing an elderly gardener, nor is it because we get to see the youthful Ludivine Sagnier baring all [in a display as fresh as that of Bridgett Bardots] and revealing every inch of her delicious body whether wet or dry. And did I mention oral sex? It would be easy to sensationalize a film such as "Swimming Pool" but that would be very unfair because the best comparison one can use is this , a swimming pool generally has a shallow end and a deep end. Some people like to frollick in the shallow end where its safe while the more adventurous relish a plunge into the darker waters in the deep end and so it will be for "Swimming Pool". Those who are shallow will go just for the nudity, the sex and the tittilation while those who love the noir of films such as this will go because they know and understand that while the sight of two gorgeous women [with an age difference of over thirty years] totally naked means much to some, for them the draw is in the meatier meal that François Ozon is renown for dishing up. Sounds credible enough doesn't it? I must say I am having a chuckle here because rather than being in serious mode I know that if I don't put a stop to this right now, this review will degenerate into one of those sendups I seem to have a reputation for these days. Your right, I must behave myself and keep on top of this [I won't go down that road either], no matter what. I'll just have to keep grinding away, keeping my mind on the job [and above the navel] if I'm going to pull this one off. Now where the hell was I. That's right, working on the review "Swimming Pool", a very serious film.

"Well-acted, nicely shot, slick and certainly sexy, Swimming Pool may be all foreplay and no climax, but what the heck, there are worse ways to be teased." Rick Groen GLOBE AND MAIL

According to François Ozon after "8 Femmes" he felt "an urge to return to something more intimate and simple, with fewer characters." But why familiar people? "Charlotte Rampling came to mind immediately because "Under The Sand" had been a fine experience for both of us. The decision to cast Charlotte Rampling opposite Ludivine Sagnier provided an opportunity to examine the mother daughter relationship and also to confront an experienced actress with a younger one.," he explained. "I have a sense that I gave Ludivine insufficient attention on "8 Femmes", compared with other actresses. Now I wanted to give her a part that would be more fun, a sexy bimbo part," he added. "As a result, she got herself into shape physically, becoming a kind of Mediterranean Marilyn Munroe."
And "Swimming Pool" is with a few minor exceptions, basically an English language film rather than dedicated French with subtitles? "Given that the film is about an English writer and that Charlotte Rampling was cast in the part, it seemed only natural that the films language should be English." But you wrote the script in French, did that cause any problems? "Shifting into English altered the script, because some of the French nuances didn't come across in English." Touching on something percieved English, Charlottes character Sarah really does start out as a little 'prim and proper' but slowly she changes and seems to blossom? "Yes, I wanted to use the cliche of an elderly English lady uneasy with her own body as a starting point. I also wanted this mature body to seem desirable, more desirable even than Julies," he explained. And that is reflected in the other end of the scale because Julie becomes a little more diginied, less careless in regards to her appearance. Is that a reasonable assesment? "The main point was that I wanted Sarah and Julies bodies to affect one another. As the story progresses, Sarah casts off her clothes, her style of dress becomes more feminine, life in some ways returns to her. Whereas Julie abandons artifice. She becomes more pure. There is a kind of 'exchange of fluids' between the two women," he says.
So what did the two stars think of their roles and "Swimming Pool"? Charlotte Rampling" says Ozon pitched "Swimming Pool" at her in much the same way as he did "Under The Sand". "We had a meeting ," she said, "and discussed the idea before François started work on the screenplay. This process went on for four months and then we shot the film". And is there any resemblance between you and Sarah? "The character is utterly unlike me. Female English mystery writers live in a very specific world." So did you contribute to the character Sarah in any way? "François and I built Sarah Morton together. We work well together. We are on the same wavelength, we're complementary. When the shoot began I knew her as well as François did." And it worked out well with your co-star Ludivine Sagnier? "We got on beautifully. Unlike many actresses, Ludivine does not create unnecessary problems for herself. She takes a very direct approach."
"Swimming Pool" is Ludivine Sagniers third film with François Ozon. How did her her latest experience work out? "François did something I thought was very good," she says, "he let me get involved with the creative process of designing a film. He gave me more freedom and let me particpate in each stage of the process." And how was it working with Charlotte? "She was very encouraging. Charlotte is someone who is fairly relaxed about the process of making a film." I hear the two of you had something in common that came in very handy on the set? "On set, everyone understood English but only Charlotte and I spoke it. It was like having our own dialect and it made us more intimate." That raises another question, there is nothing intimate in the sex and nude scenes is there. Did you have any problems with it? "It wasn't really a problem," she explained, "I done it before in another of François's films, "Water Drops On Burning Rocks", so I felt comfortable with the crew. And the physical training gave me an extra confidence, so I was able to handle being naked throughout the shoot." And Julie is complicated isn't she? "The hardest thing about playing Julie was dealing with the psychology of her fractures persona," she says. "I had to delve into slightly painful corners of my imagination to create the character".
That's what makes "Swimming Pool" so enjoyable. It is character driven. It is driven by change, evolving within itself. It would have been just as good as a foreign language film. "Swimming Pool" makes for great viewing.
"Swimming Pool" is Directed by François Ozon ["Under the Sand" 2001, "Sitcom" 1988, "Truth or Dare" 1994 & "Photo de famille" 1988 ] and stars Charlotte Rampling ["Jerusalem" 2003, "The Fourth Angel" 2001, "Paris By Night" 1988 & "Orca:Killer Whale" 1977 ], Ludivine Sagnier ["8 Femmes" 2002, "Anna's Trip" 1999, "Cyrano de Bergerac" 1990 & "I Want to Go Home" 1989 ] and Charles Dance ["Black & White" 2002, "Gosford Park" 2001, "China Moon" 1994, "The Golden Child" 1986 & "For Your Eyes Only" 1981 ]. The Story

"Ozon blends sexual tension and quirky psychology to great advantage, setting the stage for a series of incidents that speak to the incomprehensible grey between fantasy and reality." Jeanne Aufmuth, PALO ALTO WEEKLY

From the acclaimed director Francois Ozon ["8 Femmes" and "Under The Sand"] comes this seductive, sensuous, provocative and juicy thriller. Sarah Morton is a rigid, conservative woman, a successful English mystery writer who's fresh out of inspiration. At the insistence of her publisher she takes up residency in his secluded country house. The location seems just the tonic she needs until late one night when her publishers free spirited daughter Julie arrives. Sarah prim and steely English reserve is jarred by Julies reckless, sexually charged lifestyle. The two womens interaction sets off an unsettling series of events which changes Sarahs creative process and her life. The Verdict "A mixture of intrigue, nudity, inventive design and a surprise finish that will have you grappling for interpretation long after you've left the theatre. Ramplings mature performance [in or out of her attire] matches that of the youthful, playful Sagnier who oozes sexuality and looks sensational. Nudity aside, this is a film for those who love to be entertained or who are ever impatient for what happens next. "Swimming Pool" demands that feeling of eager anticipation and feeds on its audience. The film is stylish, classy, oozing sensuallity while the cool pale blue waters of the "Swimming Pool" sparkle and dance, beckoning like a sirens song, seducing it's audience, inviting them to lose their inhibitions and take a dip. Dare to take the plunge, it's highly recommended. PS: Swimming attire is optional." The Cast & Crew

Charlotte Rampling Ludivine Sagnier Charles Dance Marc Fayolle Jean-Marie Lamour Mireille Mossé Michel Fau Jean-Claude Lecas Emilie Gavois-Kahn Erarde Forestali Lauren Farrow Sebastian Harcombe Frances Cuka Keith Yeates Tricia Aileen Glen Davies

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Sarah Morton Julie John Bosload Marcel Franck Marcel's Daughter First Man Second Man Waitress at Cafe Old Man Julia Terry Long Lady on Train Sarah's Father John Bosload's Secretary Pub Barman

Directed by François Ozon Produced by Olivier Delbosc and Marc Missonnier Line Producer Christine de Jekel Screenplay by François Ozon & Emmanuèle Bernheim Original Music by Philippe Rombi Cinematography by Yorick Le Saux Film Editing by Monica Coleman Casting by Sarah Bird & Antoinette Boulat Production Design by Wouter Zoon Costume Design by Pascaline Chavanne Art Department Gilles Tissot Sound Lucien Balibar Rated M15+ [AUST] Run Time 102 minutes Copyright © 2003 - Dendy Films - All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2003 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved