Luca Guadagnino's "A Bigger Splash" is a peek into the relationship between a female rock star (Tilda Swinton) and her boyfriend, Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts), a documentary filmmaker. The couple lives on an island off the coast of Sicily and this exotic locale is the setting for this sometimes sordid tale.
For the first two thirds of the film, its primary concern revolves around sexual tension between the couple and the wife's old flame who stops by for a visit, unannounced and uninvited. The film's third act takes it in a somewhat different direction. Both stories work, for different reasons.
Marianne Laine (Swinton) is a successful singer recuperating from vocal cord surgery. This reduces her spoken words to whispers, under strict doctor's orders. The somewhat androgynous yet strikingly attractive Swinton looks more like David Bowie here than ever (in fact, I'd love to see her play the rock icon in a biopic if any directors are out there paying attention).
The film is a simmering pot, with everyone holding up their end, throwing in their own unique flavors to the mix. But in the end, it's Fiennes who makes the biggest splash, and who vaults this tale into lofty levels.
Movie title | A Bigger Splash |
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Release year | 2015 |
MPAA Rating | R |
Our rating | |
Summary | Sexuality and deception rule the day when a man inserts himself between a seemingly happy couple. |