By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Anne-Sophie Birot
Starring: Isild Les Besco | Karen Alyx | Pascal Elso | Pascale Bussières
Original language title: Les Filles ne savent pas nager
Country: france
Year: 2002
Running time: 102
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0239507
Michael says: “Like the film RAIN, which I saw earlier this week, France’s GIRLS CAN’T SWIM is a coming-of-age story fraught with tragedy. Gwen and Lise have been spending summers together in Gwen’s coastal hometown. When sudden tragedy prevents Lise from coming to town, both girls are unhappy. Eventually, Lise does in fact make it to town, and at first, everyone is happy, despite the gradually revealed cause of the trip’s delay.
“Unlike the gorgeously foreboding imagery in RAIN, GIRLS CAN’T SWIM is a bit more straight-forward in its look. It does start off with a fairly interesting device. The first 20 minutes or so focus on Gwen from her last day of school as a freshman in High School. Then we see what Lise has been up to. It’s a subtle switch, and keeps the viewer interested.
“GIRLS CAN’T SWIM was a little tiresome because every encounter featured some sort of dramatic confrontation that usually ended up with someone running away. Everyone was very temperamental, blowing up with little provocation at times. The ending of GIRLS grows increasingly more melodramatic as Lise grows more and more frantic in her search for love and attention.
“The performances were enjoyable, especially a favorite of mine, Pascale Bussieres (WHEN NIGHT IS FALLING, THE FIVE SENSES) as Gwen’s mother. The film started off promisingly enough, but as the conclusion drew near, got a little out of hand. The truths about adolescence and friendship were telling, but the execution was a bit clumsy.” 3 cats