I would buy Tilda Swinton as the woman of the century. She’s got a magnetic quality that the biggest stars share, yet there’s also an oddball sensibility to her. While not aloof, fame doesn’t seem to be a driving force in her career, as she seems to select whatever roles that piques her interest. These are qualities you need to earn such a grand moniker, and it’s precisely what makes her perfect to play a rock star that just might end up at the center of the destruction of four people’s worlds.
A Bigger Splash is the fourth collaboration between Swinton and director Luca Guadagnino. Most notable is their 2010 effort I Am Love, which portrays passion with a palpability that few other films achieve (you’ll never look at prawn the same way again). This ability should prove useful in A Bigger Splash, which looks to be a story of passion and history spinning out of control between old friends. A heightened sense of emotion only makes these stories more thrilling, and with such high-quality casting the film can afford to push right up against taking the tone too far.
The film is loosely an update of the 1969 film La Piscine, an erotic thriller from a director who specialized in genre filmmaking. I’ve been wondering for years where all the erotic thrillers went to, as they can be made so cheaply that profitability is almost assured. Good, bad, or trashy, they’re often a good time, and I’m personally kind of sad that they’ve gone out of fashion.
With its pedigree, A Bigger Splash looks to be on the quality end of this genre, but make no mistake, it is a genre film. I, for one, am hoping it starts a trend.
A Bigger Splash is directed by Luca Guadagnino and stars Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes, and Dakota Johnson. It is out now in the U.K. and will be released in the U.S. on May 4th, 2016 (way to make the Americans wait for once). International release dates can be found here.
Do you think this film will go big with its thrills or keep things more contained? Let us know in the comments!
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