With an electrifying opening that can’t help but leave one immediately compelled, it’s in those first few minutes that A Bigger Splash makes its biggest mark at engaging the viewer. Like one of Tilda Swinton’s previous master films, We Need to Talk About Kevin, through a quick series of images and scenarios, we are told little but can sense that something is just a bit off.
The story begins when the rock star, Marianne Lane, and her boyfriend, Paul De Smedt, (Swinton and Matthias Schoenaerts) are interrupted by an old friend of theirs, Harry Hawkes, and his newly discovered daughter, Penelope Lannier (Ralph Fiennes and Dakota Johnson). These four characters each make up a corner of this film and equally tug at the fabric of the situation. Within the backdrop of a gorgeous house in Sicily, what unfolds is an erotic and also cringe-worthy dive into these characters and their relationships.
It’s clear early on that a major source of conflict will come from the various love and attractions that cross between the four characters, and equally important is the backstory that will unfold as it becomes increasingly clear that these people have a lot of baggage between them. The true heart of the film is Ralph Fiennes’ character Harry, the most boisterous of the bunch who also has the highest stakes in every relationship with the other four. Fiennes is an actor who has done such a wide variety of roles and blends so effortlessly into each one that it’s amazing he isn’t immediately thought of as an A-list star when he brings so much charisma everywhere he goes. Here, his character never sits still, never shuts up, and never misses an opportunity to dance or get naked. It’s as fun as you think it sounds.
Unfortunately, the one character whose motivations are never made clear is Schoenaerts’ character. Here is a very talented actor whose ability to be a heartthrob and also a serious artist is captivating to watch on screen. Furthermore, he has picked compelling material since becoming a breakout name. In this role, however, he is the one character whose actions and motivations I could not understand in terms of how they aligned with the story. Without saying too much, it seems too easy to let him quietly not explain many of the decisions he makes that shift the relationship with all the other characters.
Had the movie maintained the level of intrigue and quick visuals seen in the first few minutes, I would comfortably call this one of the best of the year. That being said, even once it’s underway, A Bigger Splash is an extremely sexy, compelling character study rich with human conflict and melodrama in ways not many other films are. By the time the movie is over, you’ll want to be booking a trip to Sicily, yet simultaneously wanting to cleanse yourself of all the hidden desires that we all carry with us.
A Bigger Splash is rated R for graphic nudity, some strong sexual content, language and brief drug use. Now playing at The Landmark.
