Water Lilies

6.7
2007 1 hr 25 min Drama , Romance

Set during a sultry summer in a French suburb, Marie is desperate to join the local pool's synchronized swimming team, but is her interest solely for the sake of sport or for a chance to get close to Floriane, the bad girl of the team? Sciamma, and the two leads, capture the uncertainty of teenage sexuality with a sympathetic eye in this delicate drama of the angst of coming-of-age.

  • Cast:
    Pauline Acquart , Adèle Haenel , Louise Blachère , Warren Jacquin , Christel Baras , Marie Gili-Pierre , Alice de Lencquesaing

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Reviews

Evengyny
2007/05/17

Thanks for the memories!

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Hayden Kane
2007/05/18

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

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Bob
2007/05/19

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

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Scarlet
2007/05/20

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

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zetes
2007/05/21

Emotionally brutal tale of teenage sexual yearnings. Pauline Acquart is a gawky 14 or 15 year old who obsesses over the slightly older, supposedly sexually promiscuous captain of her school's synchronized swimming team (Adele Haenel). Meanwhile, Acquart's tubby best friend (Louise Blanchere) obsesses over a boy, Francois, who is himself trying to bang Haenel. The film sometimes seems just a tiny bit sleazy because it really does focus a lot on these horny teenage girls, and, as it's mostly told from the point of view of Acquart, it sometimes seems obsessed with Haenel's body. But whatever prurient reasons one might have for watching this, it's impossible to deny how deeply it bores into the psyche of Acquart. And, Christ, does she give a fantastic performance. It also has a lot of insight into Haenel's character. You kind of hate her, just because she's so damn manipulative and cruel toward Acquart. She almost immediately recognizes what Acquart wants, as she's so used to getting the same attitude from the men in her life, and she uses it to her advantage. In one particularly painful sequence, she grinds on Acquart on the dance floor, but only because she knows some douchebag guy will find it hot. The two girls are just about to kiss for the first time, and Acquart opens her eyes to find Haenel has backed into the guy behind her and started to grind on him instead. The Blanchere subplot, on the other hand, is somewhat less successful. She's kind of dumb and childish (for what it's worth, Acquart, who has presumably been her friend since they were kids, is starting to feel the same; Blanchere is kind of like a safe place to back off to when her relationship with Haenel gets to be too frustrating). The culmination of her part of the film, though, is pretty satisfying. This is definitely one of the best films I've ever seen about teenagers. Despite the fact that I'm a straight guy, Water Lilies dragged some very painful memories from my own teen years to the surface.

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digdilem
2007/05/22

I liked this. The camera work, acting and studies were very good.The characters were distinct and true to form throughout, showing young love and the complications that brings. Actual nudity fairly minimal despite the erotic theme, but that eroticism is carried through quite skillfully, never overstepping the mark into porn and maintaining interest in what would otherwise be fairly dull scenes.Motives are mostly feelings and expressed in the truly clumsy way of adolescents.My only real criticism is only that it has no ending to speak of. The story is minimal and conveys more of a feeling of a time in peoples lives rather than a story by itself. A snapshot of feelings and in that it succeeds well.

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jerrystahl666
2007/05/23

I sat down expecting Les cousins dangereux and got something else. If you are in it for the chance and some kinky stuff probably not for you (although there are some very odd sexual moments). The movie is driven by some rather bazaar ideas about sex which leads one to conclude that these girls are growing up in Puritan New England rather than 21st century France. I liked the movie because it was very weird and very different. It is one of those sub-titled movies where you forget you are reading the dialog because you get sucked in. I spent most of the movie trying to figure out if the girls were full of it or just being French.

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Chris Smith (RockPortReview)
2007/05/24

Water Lilies 1/30/2010This is an amazingly fearless movie that tackles issues no Hollywood studio would touch. "Water Lilies" is a French film that deals with the lives of three distinct teen female characters and their very real struggles. Set in the world of synchronized swimming, director Celine Sciamma takes you on a disturbingly honest depiction of the lives of modern teenage girls.The sport of synchronized swimming is very similar to the internal struggles of each of the girls, with all of the furious action and kicking occurring just under the surface. Marie is a fifteen year old tom boyish girl that tends to keep to herself. She is short and is envious of the older more developed girls. She is best friends with the second main girl Anna. She is overweight and often resorts to childish behavior. She fears growing up and being alone. Then there is Floriane the hottest girl in school and captain of the swim team. All of these characters share many of the same problems and deal with them in very different ways. When Marie sees Floriane perform at a school swim meet she quickly becomes enamored with her. Her grace, beauty and popularity make most all the girls in school envious. Marie makes a deal with her so she can watch the team practice. In return Marie has to be the reason for Floriane to leave the house at night to hook up with random boys. Floriane seems to have everything under control and lives a perfect life, but we find out that can't be further from the truth. Her beauty makes her feel like an outsider, as she sticks out in a crowed. Other girls are jealous and mean to her, as she is looked upon as the school slut.No matter who we are or how we look everybody has body image issues and this is further compounded by the popular media. Television, movies, and magazine mold young minds into thinking what is normal and what is acceptable. Anna and Floriane like the same guy, François. There a few scenes between Marie and Floriane that will make certain audiences extremely uncomfortable. That has developed a sort of controversy between groups of people. Some think that the film is nothing but a cheap exploitation of teen sex. Maybe there would be more of a basis for an argument if the film was made by a man, but it wasn't. Director Celine Sciamma looks to takes great care and sensitivity to the actors and the story. This film is not for everyone but you will get hooked by the likable true to life characters.

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