October 10, 2003
Swimming Pool (2003) ****
This isn't exactly a lesbian film, but the erotic chemistry between Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Saigner is palpable in this terrific movie directed by Francois Ozon ("8 Women", "5X2"). It actually comes as a surprise that these two actresses don't sleep together. Actually - and this is a spoiler, so don't read if you haven't yet seen "The Swimming Pool" - they cannot sleep together, because, if the final scene is to make any sense, Rampling and Saigner are playing the SAME character. Or - to be more precise - two different aspects of the same character - Saigner being Rampling's erotic id, a complete slut who will sleep with any man, no matter how ugly, old or unappealing. In other words, she is actually doing what Rampling is only fantasizing about doing - getting as much sex as possible, no matter from where. Needless to say, Ludivine Saigner gets naked often in this film. Is Rampling playing a sex addict ? Maybe not. Maybe it's just her upbringing and her cultural values that are at odds with her sexual urges. Therefore, to remain sane, she has to invent a different character (yes, it is a form of schizophrenia) and make her do everything she wants to do. But unlike the hero of "Fight Club", Rampling is actually fully aware of her fantasy life. This reading of the film is the only one that fully explains the final scene, when Rampling meets the real daughter of her publisher and doesn't react in any way - if you've seen the film you'll understand what it means.
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