Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases


Swimf@n (2002)

Director: John Polson

Average user rating
No reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

After the daffy Australian road movie Siam Sunset, actor turned director Polson establishes his US credentials with this self-consciously trashy high school variation on Fatal Attraction. Bradford is Ben, a school swimmer hoping for a scholarship, and steadily going steady with nice but dull Amy (Appleby). Until, that is, he finds himself in the deep end with sexually assertive new arrival Madison (Christensen), and his scruples melt right away. Predictably, he plays it cool afterwards and her vicious retribution escalates into Glenn Close psycho mode. To some extent, the unfolding mayhem engages with the double-edged notion of the 'bad girl' as both fantasy figure and worst nightmare, but only on the way to absurd overkill. Christensen plays it to the hilt all right, but she has little choice since the script doesn't really bother with niceties like motivation. With guffaws in store as open-mouthed Bradford squares up to Christensen's dark past, this is almost a guilty pleasure. But only the very easily pleased will be able to see past its limitations.

Author: TJ

Time Out Film Guide


What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields




Most popular on this site


Top Stories

Has David Cronenberg turned tame?

Has David Cronenberg turned tame?

Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?

The 10 worst date movies

The 10 worst date movies

Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made

Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films

Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films

Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas

10 unlikely badboy biopics

10 unlikely badboy biopics

Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects

Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'

Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'

The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing

Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day

Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day

Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing