A Bigger Splash is rated R (under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). And the second reason was that I wanted to see another movie afterwards so I might as well kill some time in the meanwhile. It might have been fairly meaningful if it were released a few decades ago, but such a film today doesnt quite have the impact that it expects to garner. 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Haha, Thanks so much for your comment, James! Its a very stylish and engaged remake of Jacques Derays 1969 psychological thriller La Piscine (The Swimming Pool). The director's prior "I Am Love" ultimately transcended its more pretentious, arbitrary aspects with a certain feeling of epic emotionality. "A Bigger Splash" is the title of a David Hockney painting from 1967an ejaculatory shot of white on the surface of a calm California pool. Mr. Guadagnino may be actually trying to assuage his conscience (or ours), as if to do penance for all this careless opulence. The first promo still of A Bigger Splash featuring Matthias Schoenaerts, Tilda Swinton, Dakota Johnson and Ralph Fiennes was released on 27 July 2015. [12], The first international teaser trailer was released on 1 October 2015. The last time the director Luca Guadagnino trained his sights on Tilda Swinton, she was suffering under the Milanese sun in I Am Love, playing an unhappy wife fluttering in a gilded cage. Harry Hawkes: We're all obscene. The body in the swimming pool perhaps connotes the terrible guilt and shame with which gilded youth and gilded middle age pay for their pleasures. Marianne and Pauls private bliss-out is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of an old friend, a music producer, Harry (a sensational Ralph Fiennes), a motormouth who roars in with his daughter, Penelope (Dakota Johnson). So lets find out exactly where theA Bigger Splashfilm locations are in Pantelleria and elsewhere in Italy! The volcanic setting is perfect because it looks like this foursome could erupt at any moment. We want to hear from you! A Bigger Splash is an incredible and unpredictable drama that's beautifully filmed, well paced and bold. Beautifully photographed Sicilian landscape dwarfs four small lives and the mess they create. Sadly, with no voice in the movie, she was still the most exciting character to watch. The firstA Bigger Splashfilming location is not on the main location of Pantelleria, its inMilan. Having competed for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, which saw it receive rave reviews from many critics, can "A Bigger Splash" live up to its impactful title? 'The last thing I wanted was to show people just lounging around by the pool,' says Guadagnino. Is there even a moral to be had from this? Marianna convinces them that she was asleep at the time of the murder, and the killer was an intruder, while Paul lies and says he went to bed before the time of Harry's death, he is believed. A Bigger Splash (2015) follows Marianne (Tilda Swinton) and her boyfriend Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts) as they seek respite from Marianne's hectic music career in a remote villa. I'm not really sure what the point of the movie was. ", "LIVE: The winners of the 72nd Venice Film Festival", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Bigger_Splash_(2015_film)&oldid=1145616178, This page was last edited on 20 March 2023, at 02:14. Jacques Deray adapted this story once before in his 1969 film La Piscine, but Luca Guadagnino's 2015 iteration relies on its sharp sense for revelations of secrets and lies to draw us into its narrative and wrap us up in the impression of its characters. Its about nine minutes long and not that well-known so I doubt a room full of Sicilians would be able to sing along to. Swinton can play just about anything and previously worked in Italy with Guadagnino in the acclaimedI Am Love. Read next: 13 Great Films Set in Sicily to Inspire You to Visit. "A Bigger Splash" is a loose remake of the sexy, stylish 1969 French film "La Piscine" directed by Jacques Deray, which starred Alain Delon, Romy Schneider, Maurice Ronet and Jane Birkin all on. The reunion rapidly turns from jolly reminiscence to sullen silences and naked confrontation. There's something that made this film really come together well in the beginning. The Rolling Stones helped with the script. After intruding on Marianne and Paul's get-away with his daughter Penelope (Dakota Johnson), who seems to share a rather suspicious and discomforting relationship with her new-found father, it becomes clear that Harry has some designs on winning his ex-lover and colleague Marianne back. Despite being a sex-crazed old man, deep down hes a lonely old codger, and manages to make you both amused and sympathetic. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. [16], In February 2015, Fox Searchlight Pictures acquired U.S distribution rights to the film. He knows Marianne is on voice rest. Worst, perhaps, is the way Guadignino cynically salts in occasional references to the Mediterranean migrant crisis in an attempt to add political meaning to this addled, indulgent trifle. Four characters, only one of whom is remotely sane, three of whom are both uninteresting and unpleasant. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. What is the Hindi language plot outline for A Bigger Splash (2015)? Marianne convinces them with the truth that she was asleep, and suggests that the murderer was an intruder. In Luca Guadagninos simmering drama, two ex-lovers are disastrously reunited at a Mediterranean villa where the pool is a temple of bared flesh and sex perfumes the air. Its not long before we join Marianne and Paul on their holidays. Then, they turn a corner and stroll down Str. Marianne Lane (Tilda Swinton) is a famous rock star. His "friends", if you can call them that, were also annoyed by him. The peace and tranquility of a rock star recovering from throat surgery and her documentarian boyfriend is shattered by a visit from the musician's former lover and his estranged adult daughter in this unusual film. Let me know in the comments below! A famous rock star's vacation in Italy with her boyfriend is disrupted by the unexpected visit of an old friend and his daughter. A Bigger Splash is a sensuous delight of a film, but it has a darker heart that brands itself in the viewers mind. I saw the trailer for this movie at the cinemas and thought it looked interesting, and then I accidentally sponsored it to be added to the movie trivia app Popcorn Trivia, alongside my intended title Splash (1984), so I was definitely going to watch it. Jagger was intrigued. Intriguing as all this might sound though, it adds up to precious little. [31][32], A Bigger Splash received generally positive reviews from critics. The Idol: The Weeknd & Lily-Rose Depp Music Drama Gets HBO Premiere Date, New Teaser, Contenders Television Continues Sunday: 20 Panels Showcasing Buzziest Shows Of Awards Season, Steven Spielberg, David Zaslav & Paul Thomas Anderson Talk Urgency Of Film Preservation And Warners Bros. Best wishes, James. Murder in the Mediterranean. A Bigger Splash: Directed by Luca Guadagnino. Starring Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes, and Dakota Johnson, the film is loosely based on the 1969 Jacques Deray film La Piscine[3] and named after the 1967 David Hockney painting of the same name. He is surely coming to rival Paolo Sorrentino as an Italian auteur on the world stage. Marianne and Paul pull up to the arrivals terminal at Pantelleria Airport. Bellocchio, Guadagnino, Caligari and Maresco among the 11 Italians on the . The arrival of Ralph Fiennes in "A Bigger Splash," the new film directed by Luca Guadagnino, could hardly be more ominous: The roaring plane carrying his character, Harry, and Penelope, his. Fra risate, desiderio e rock' n . [26] It was released in France on 16 April 2016. But it is Fiennes, loosening up like never before, who steals the show with a lively turn as a frenetic but successful music producer who doesnt want to let anyone forget he was a creative force on the Rolling Stones album Voodoo Lounge. Certainly thats the attitude of the actors who look like they are having a blast, particularly Ralph Fiennes, who has never been this unplugged onscreen. 'I wouldn't have made the film if I could not have made it on Pantelleria. Tension hangs in the air throughout with much unannounced but pronounced animosity between the characters. Both fall in, and the fight continues. But really, that distinction comes more from the context . Ralph Fienness was very good as well at least his acting was. Its at the San Siro Stadiumwhich is the home to football teams AC Milan and Inter Milan. This cinema appears a couple of scenes later as the exterior to the bar that Harry and Marianne pop in to perform some karaoke. While the film is hit-and-miss, Ralph Fiennes is a total riot. It would be easy to classify Marianne Lane, Tilda Swinton's character in A Bigger Splash, as an aging rock star. What could have somewhat saved this movie is some good scenery shots and cinematography. [17] The film made its world premiere at the 72nd Venice Film Festival[18][19] on 6 September 2015. John Powers calls the film, which stars Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes, a "gripping slow-burn." a bigger splash, did paul sleep with penelope. A Bigger Splash seems to announce its intentions from minute one, cutting from the rockstar Marianne Lane (Tilda Swinton) electrifying a stadium of thousands to a shot of her sunbathing nude by a pool in an Italian villa. The actors could not be better cast for this. Harry, a parody of a coked-up 80s record producer who still manages to feel like a real person, is creepily close to his daughter, a gorgeous poolside temptress he claims to have met as a grown-up. Thank goodness for so many sensible ordinary viewers who tell it like it is. Watch A Guide to the Films of Luca Guadagnino, Watch A Bigger Splash: Poolside Seduction. Set in the beautiful Pantellaria, and often around an enticing swimming pool, what seems like an above-board retreat soon turns pretty sour. But this time around there isn't enough substance or originality in other departments to detract attention from howwell, pretentious and arbitrary many of his directorial choices are. Guadagnino is best known in the United States for his sprawling, florid . At times, as with the topical references to refugees (a few of whom are seen huddled in detention), these glimpses of the larger, agonizing world are clearly meant to say something about the characters and their insularity. In 'A Bigger Splash', rock legend Marianne Lane is recuperating on the volcanic island of Pantelleria with her partner Paul when iconoclast record producer and old flame Harry unexpectedly arrives with his daughter Penelope and interrupts their holiday, bringing with him an A-bomb blast of nostalgia from which there can be no rescue. Tilda Swinton plays Marianne, a globally famous rock star currently in retreat from the madness of her world, happily vacationing with her partner, Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts), a would-be documentary film-maker. Harry takes Marianne, Paul and his daughter to a small, local watering hole without a reservation. And as I say in my video reviewabove, this is all served up by Italian director Luca Guadagnino working in the English language with an international cast from a premise based on the 1969 French filmLa Piscine. There's a lot more than just sun and sex . Permalink. a bigger splash, did paul sleep with penelope. And if you want to know what song they are singing, its Miss Manhattan by Metropole. That insufferable hedonist Harry is forever showing the group a good time; forever making everyone take second place to the good time he is having. Independent-minded adults looking to escape from the comic book universe of most multiplexes are in for an exotic treat. Things get increasingly intense and sexual as the film goes along. Director Luca Guadagnino was last seen in these parts with "I . Her record producer, mutual friend of both and former flame of Marianne, Harry (Ralph Fiennes), brings his estranged daughter, Penelope (Dakota Johnson), to spend time with the couple and, mostly, interrupt the vacation. The film goes from whimsical to depressing at the slightest provocation, giving you emotional whiplash with its rollercoaster treatment of emotional. Every character were annoying and not likable at all. I don't know the director but Ralph Fiennes, Matthias Schoenaerts and Tilda Swinton are all talented actors. Though A Bigger Splash slides into more nakedly political territory in its final 30 minutes, the shift doesnt feel jarring, but necessarya chilling reminder of the heavy investment viewers have in the splashy lives of the rich, and our disinterest in the opposite. A Bigger Splash has something of the erotic languor and implied daddy-daughter issues of Franoise Sagans Bonjour Tristesse the complicated four-way nexus of desire even reminded me a little of Alan Hollinghursts novel The Spell. I hope you manage to visit all of the locations and I hope that one day that I can rent that villa for a week in Augustsome day maybe. A Bigger Splash. "A Bigger Splash" is an Italian-French erotic drama (with English dialogue) that's inspired by the 1969 film, "La Piscine." Marianne, a pop star who's recovering from vocal surgery, goes on a. Like Guadagninos last film, the 2009 drama I Am Love, A Bigger Splash is filled with beautiful things to look at, from the cast to the striking landscape. A Bigger Splash review: Tilda Swinton is again Luca Guadagnino's muse in the sly erotic thriller Image Video Audio An American rock star and filmmaker couple, Marianne and Paul, are holidaying in Italy when a former lover and his daughter show up. The cast itself was good, and the film definitely wasn't following any clichs or formulas, so perhaps I would feel like rewatching it in the future and that would change my mind. While she rests her voice after throat surgery, a David Bowie-esque rock legend, Marianne (Tilda Swinton), and her documentary-filmmaker boyfriend of 6 years, Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts), relax in the remote Italian paradise of Pantelleria. I love this film and the locations so muchthat visiting is high on my bucket list. I have always adored Italy and have only been the once. Marianne Lane hates the guy, seems almost disgusted by him and yet let's him come so close physically. A Bigger Splashtakes place in early August because thats when the San Gaetano festival that they are attending in this scene takes place. But then "A Bigger Splash" goes slack and silly toward the end, just as it should be at its most gripping. --"Everyone's obscene." I dontthinkthis is a real bar. They shot the scene in front of 70,000 people during the show of Italian Rock star Lorenzo Jovanotti. But discord lurks on the edges of the film from the beginning, as Guadagnino and the writer David Kajganich hint at the influx of refugees to the island (and Italy at large), and the problems fermenting around this idyllic slice of life. They have more urgent business with refugees landing from North Africa, some floating ashore dead, but take the occupants of the villa in for questioning. Not too much, mind you, just enough to give the whole thing a patina of seriousness. Orson Welles' 1952 "Othello," a film shot in largely in Italy with (mostly) Italian money is of course in EnglishShakespeare English, yet. Mr. Guadagnino, in other words, knows how to decorate a movie, from Mariannes manicured head to Penelopes perfectly photographed bellybutton. Penelope charms Paul into joining her on a hike which she is woefully underdressed for, not that she cares. Although the tone is always appropriate to the scene, the pacing is not, and barely gives you enough time to recover from the deeper scenes before tossing you on some sort of playful treatment of a morbid situation. Get in touch by leaving a comment or contacting me directly: [emailprotected], I enjoyed your location run down of the movie. And it really is the local airport. Theres already so much that disadvantages Tilda Swintons performance, yet she manages to play Marianna with so much charm that she almost convinces you of the hoarseness. The music itself must be able to add to the movie without having to rely on the viewers foreknowledge. If thats a smidge out of your price range, thecast of A Bigger Splash stayed at Dream Hotel, and most of the production crew stayed at Club Levante. Throughout the credits, and at random intervals, there are images of stylised flowers, particularly noticeable in the section listing soundtrack items. I'm clearly in the minority here, but I absolutely hated this movie. reaction. The sultry Pen then makes a play for the unhappy Paul; it is not shown, but implied, that Paul succumbs to Pen's overtures. All Rights Reserved. This post may contain affiliate links. Let us know what you think. Please read the disclaimer here. Neither speaks Italian and their togetherness is interrupted by uninvited visitors. Theyre a delectable pair of sexy beasts, ensconced on a jaw-slackening compound on Pantelleria, a volcanic island in the strait of Sicily thats within viewing distance of Tunisia. It is the investigating officer, but rather than pursuing the case he reveals himself to be a fan of Marianne and wants her to autograph a CD. His swimming pool is a pure rectangular swamp of desire. He is in recovery from alcohol addiction and a suicide attempt. Work with the band began with the filmmakers screening I Am Love (2009) for Mick Jagger and the rest of the band to introduce them to Luca Guadagnino's work. Harry is an old-style alpha male; a toxic narcissist and exhibitionist, bipolar without the down phase, unable to stop talking, hell-raising and getting his kit off for skinny dips in the pool. Then a catastrophe happens. Marianne can only speak in whispers, but Harry could - and does - talk for England. There, with icy and warm chatter flowing on rivers of booze, the characters circle one another as Mr. Guadagnino, working from David Kajganichs script, fills in the background with wayward looks, wanton caresses and flashbacks. The story begins to resemble something by Ruth Rendell, as filmed by Chabrol. Shes recently learned that Harry is her father and now, for reasons that thicken the mystery, he has dragged her to Pantelleria without a hotel reservation, which is how they end up crashing at Marianne and Pauls hideaway. 120 min. Their quiet Italian Island break is quickly cut short by Harrys unprompted arrival at the local airport. Paul tearfully admits to Marianne that he killed Harry but tried to save him. Yes. I've said before that she is such a fascinating actress that I would probably buy a ticket to watch Tilda Swinton just stand on stage. Yet these moments register as ritualistic at best, opportunistic at worst, and you wish he wouldnt even bother. $7,545,758. Subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. His arrogant manner bores Pen and annoys Paul, but Marianne starts falling under his spell again; however, when Harry and Marianne begin to become intimate, Marianne stops Harry. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. Yet Marianne cant help having feelings for him and a nostalgia for their past wild times. We know it's all . A Bigger Splash A convalescing rockstar and her boyfriend vacationing on the Mediterranean island of Pantelleria see their private holiday disrupted when they receive an unexpected visit. I almost walked out halfway through. Unfortunately, you cant take something like that for granted among the audience. "[33] On Metacritic the film has a score of 74 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". A remake of Jacques Deray's 'La Piscine' (1969), 'A Bigger Splash' has attracted some big names: Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Dakota Johnson and Matthias Schoenaerts make it a star-spangled vehicle indeed. For Fiennes, Swinton, some great costumes and several breathtaking locations, 'A Bigger Splash' is worth watching, but is that alone enough? Seeing the sexy and gorgeously shot new filmA Bigger Splashis like taking a vacation to Italy that is if your idea of a vacation involves a little rock n roll, steamy couplings and murder mixed in with the scenery. Though it starts out as an energetic romantic yarn, following the struggles for Mariannes affection between her boyfriend Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts) and her old flame Harry (Ralph Fiennes), it becomes a far more engrossing film when it breaks out of its reverie and confronts the ugliness both within the villa and without.
