The Swimmer | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

Audience Reviews

Toni A This enigmatic film, like a moonlit waltz, unfolds at its own deliberate pace. While some may find it slow, the cacophony of noise heightens the tension, urging us to stay the course. By midtime, revelations turn the familiar chords into a haunting predictable melody, leaving us breathless long after the credits roll. Ultimately, it came across as a depressing story, but curiosity kept me tuned in. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/08/24 Full Review Steve D Shallow and extremely slow. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 04/17/24 Full Review Sebastyen D Film surprenant. Tu penses écouter un film léger avec une pointe d'humour, mais ça vire dark avec une fin qui te fait dire WTF ! 😂Surprising film. You think you're watching a funny movie with a touch of comedy, but it turns dark with an ending that makes you go WTF! 😂 Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/24 Full Review Alec B A fascinating amalgamation of seemingly disparate elements (the overwrought score, the surreal style, Lancaster's grounded performance) that nonetheless work together to create an entirely unique viewing experience. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/10/24 Full Review Blu B One of the strangest psychological thrillers I've ever seen and an All Time Classic. Masterfully edited and shot with lush colors, memorable settings and excellent acting and dialouge. Music is really good too. This is not meant to be taken literally but in a symbolic way. I personally believe Ned is the American Dream. Everyone should give this a try once. This is really difficult to describe without watching it. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/15/23 Full Review Wayne K Though it was a commercial flop at the time, and languished in obscurity for a period, The Swimmer has come to be regarded as a cult classic, and its star Burt Lancaster, possessor of one of the most famous smiles in all of Hollywood, always maintained this was his finest film. On the surface it appears to be about a man as obsessed with swimming as he is averse to clothes, trying to swim every pool in his neighbourhood. But as things progress it becomes clear that the film has a much more sinister message, and exists as an allegory for... well a few things. I changed my mind several times while watching, originally thinking it was about a midlife crises, then it seemed to be about the glamourous but boring and inane lives of the well-to-do, then it was about a man's failed marriage, and ultimately it seemed to be a criticism on American life itself. It's not a film that lends itself to casual viewing, as its pacing, tone and material require close attention and a willingness to accept its unconventional nature, which many have described, quite accurately, as hallucinatory. The closer Ned gets to his home, the worse things become for him, and we watch him go insane from the increasingly bad treatment he receives from those around him. It's a film that I would describe as ahead of its time, because the happy-go-lucky 60s doesn't seem like the right place for something like this, which would be much more at home in the jaded and cynical 70s. That might explain its lukewarm reception at the time, and its legacy in later years. If you're willing to put aside the conventions of traditional storytelling, then The Swimmer is a film that will provide you with a truly unique experience. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/10/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Swimmer

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