A BIGGER SPLASH (2015)

Genre: Drama
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Dakota Johnson, Matthias Schoenaerts, Tilda Swinton, Aurore Clément, Lily McMenamy
Runtime: 2 hrs 5 mins
Rating: M18 (Nudity and Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/abiggersplash/

Opening Day: 31 March 2016

Synopsis: Rock legend Marianne Lane is recuperating on the volcanic island of Pantelleria with her partner Paul when iconoclast record producer and old unexpectedly arrives with his daughter Penelope and interrupts their holiday, bringing with him an A-bomb blast of delirious nostalgia from which there can be no rescue. A Bigger Splash is a sensuous portrait of laughter, desire, and rock and roll detonating into violence under the Mediterranean sun.

Movie Review:

Damn those Westerners - they always seem to have all the time in the world to “chillax" (read: chill and relax) on vacations. If you’re an Asian (more poignant if you’re a Singaporean), you must have come across people like that while you’re on holiday. While you’re rushing from one place to another, trying to squeeze as many locations into your tight schedule, you speak to fellow vacationers who are so “yolo" (read: you only live once), you wonder why you even bothered going on a holiday.

That is, till you see the next scenic spot, and you frantically whip out your camera phone to snap a picture to upload it on Instagram. Yes, and you do not forget to add countless hashtags, in the hoping to see a staggering number of “likes” the next time you log in.

Wait, what is the point of the above paragraphs with regard to this film helmed by Italian director Luca Guadagnino? The first impression left after viewing this 124 minute Italian French production is: Damn, these Western folks sure know how to take a break from the hustles and bustles of the city!

The story begins with Tilda Swinton’s famous rock star character going on a holiday with her gorgeous photographer boyfriend played by Matthias Schoenaerts on the remote Italian island of Pantelleria. Why keep the fun to two people when you can have four? Along comes an old friend played by Ralph Fiennes and his daughter played by Dakota Johnson. What follows is, well, a group of Westerners having what seems like a really great holiday, and an eventual series of events so dramatic, you would think twice about sharing secrets with your dearest ones.

We’ve got a fine ensemble cast here - there’s the Anglo Scottish wonder Swinton never fails to surprise or impress (be it the devastated mother in 2011’s We Need to Talk About Kevin or the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia series), the classically trained Englishman Fiennes (before playing Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series, he charmed audiences as Amon Goeth in 1993’s Schindler’s List and Count Almasy in 1996’s The English Patient), the ridiculously good looking Belgian actor Schoenaerts (audiences from this part of the world probably took note of him after last year’s Far From The Madding Crowd and The Danish Girl) and the obligatory American represented by Johnson (yup, she has earned herself the title of “That Fifty Shades of Grey Girl”).

We know Guadagnino from his previous collaboration with Swinton, I Am Love (2010). Hence, we were not particularly surprised with the boldness of this film, which competed for the Golden Lion at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival (it took home the Soundtrack Stars and Best Innovative Budget Awards eventually). The actors are allowed to let themselves loose in this film, and you can expect to see sex and nudity (Fiennes appear naked in quite a number of scenes). You will also realise the storyline does meander quite a bit, but hey, that’s how the Westerners holiday - what’s the rush?

Movie Rating:

(The plot isn’t exactly arresting, but thanks to director Luca Guadagnino’s bold vision, the cast - especially Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes - get to let loose their inhibitions in this dangerously compelling drama) 

Review by John Li