A Bigger Splash (2015)

My Review

“A Bigger Splash” is a psychological drama movie telling the story of a famous rock star on vacation at an Italian island with her boyfriend when an old flame unexpectedly joins them with his daughter. Italian director Luca Guadagnino has created quite a satisfying melodrama with good writing from screenwriter David Kajganich and dynamite performances from the actors.

Tilda Swanson heads the cast as pop sensation Marianne Lane, who has laryngitis and cannot speak. Matthias Schoenaerts is her boyfriend fresh out of rehab, Ralph Fiennes as the talkative and gabby ex, Dakota Johnson as his seductive 17-year-old daughter who tells everyone she is 22, with Lily McMenamy, Aurore Clement, Elena Bucci, and Corrado Guzzanti rounding out the cast.

Another star of the film is the excellent cinematography by Yorick Le Saux. The filming on the island of Pantellaria (between Sicily and Tunisia) makes for beautiful visuals as a backdrop for the drama of the picture. The very engrossing and watchable “A Bigger Splash” is an excellent movie which does not seem to last two hours. It was not a big money-maker at the box office for producer Luca Guadagnino, Frenesy Film Company, Cota Film, and StudioCanal.