Laughter Through Pain in SINK OR SWIM

Posted on June 4, 2019

Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Written by

Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista

The team never experienced this. Amanda (Leïla Bekhti) their new coach was literally whipping them into shape. She had a steel rod banging the pool handles and floor, while she barked orders at them from a wheelchair. The previous days she had them running on hillsides. And if they slowed down she’d hit them with the rod, like little schoolboys getting spanked.

Leïla Bekhti (Amanda); Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

It brought back nightmares for this group of 40 something, middle-aged men of the time they were kids and you could do that sort of thing. They were still so far though from where they needed to be not being able to execute the moves as a team in the water. Amanda was screaming invectives letting them know it. Out of nowhere Laurent (Guillaume Canet) gets out of the water. He goes behind Amanda and shoves her wheelchair into the water.

2nd from right French Amb Nicolas Galey with from left: Spark Phil Prog. Officer Hans Madanguit, Exec. Dir. Maica Teves and Alyssa Mae Salcedo. The 24th French Film Festival will run from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. Photo by Jude Bautista

SINK OR SWIM isn’t your typical comedy. Even when you’re at the end of the rope there’s always hope. In this case it’s a male synchronized swimming team. People were able to relate to their struggles financially, family relationships and laugh hard at their efforts at being accepted for their unique choice of sport. This was one of the top grossers in France last year.SINK OR SWIM is part of the French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt Cinemas and in Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

The French Film Festival returns for its 24th edition in the Philippines to offer audiences an alternative form of cinema with a line-up of 15 contemporary French films that explore the depths of human relationships and the importance of family.

As it approaches its silver anniversary in 2020, the French Film Festival continues to expand its audience nationwide by organizing screenings in Metro Manila, Cebu City, Davao City, and, for the first time ever, in Bacolod City.

from left: A PARIS EDUCATION and JUST A BREATH AWAY are both part of the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

June 12 to 18, 2019 – Metro Manila (Bonifacio High Street cinemas & Greenbelt 3 cinemas), June 20 to 22, 2019 – Cebu City (Ayala Center Cebu), June 28 to 30, 2019 – Davao City (Abreeza Mall Davao), July 10 to 12, 2019 – Bacolod City (Ayala Capitol Central Mall)

Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Top Actors

The cast of this film is stellar with some of the best and recognizable French male actors. There’s a certain amount of irony that they’re playing losers or down and out characters.

Guillaume Canet is the brooding Laurent who has anger management issues. Canet was also part of last year’s French Film fest in ROCK N’ ROLL, also in a comedic role. In that one he played a frustrated actor overshadowed by the success of his (real life) wife Marion Cotillard. Canet is an accomplished actor and both titles are proof of this. He’s funny in two vastly contrasting ways. Although both are middle-aged characters, the prior one is more cooky and absurd by trying to be cool or younger to get more parts.

Guillaume Canet (Laurent); Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Here in SINK OR SWIM, he’s more the straight guy, the one who doesn’t laugh or smile at all. He becomes funny because of his rage or complete detachment and lack of sympathy for others. It’s a huge testament to his acting abilities that he’s able to portray completely different characters with such ease and effectiveness.

Mathieu Amalric (Bertrand) and Marina Foïs (Claire).Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Better than Hollywood?

Mathieu Amalric as Bertrand may be the most relatable to audiences. He’s a suburban father who lost his job a while back. Because of the economic downturn he has not been able to get a job for two years. Benoît Poelvoorde as Marcus is almost in the same boat as a pool salesman on the brink of his fourth bankruptcy. Poelvoorde has a strong resemblance to Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård of THOR fame. They even sound similar. Poelvoorde in this movie is unapologetically French, having girlfriends left and right also drinking and smoking every other scene.

from left: Mathieu Amalric (Bertrand), Guillaume Canet (Laurent) and Benoît Poelvoorde (Marcus). Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Permit another Hollywood reference; in the lovely Virginie Efira as the warmhearted coach Delphine. Filipino audiences will see a strong resemblance with Katherine Heigl from GREY’S ANATOMY and most recently SUITS. Efira is undoubtedly younger and sexier. She is definitely easier to work with on set as Heigl is notorious for terrorizing cast and crew.

Virginie Efira (Delphine); Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. (10)

80s Music

Even without a musical background as singer or guitarist Jean-Hugues Anglade seemed like a real musician. Anglade plays Simon, a down and out musician living out of his van. But because he loves his daughter would think nothing of working at her school cafeteria as a bust boy to make ends meet. He won’t let go of his rock and roll dreams playing at Bingo parlors and other dingy places willing to get him as talent. As a fan of 80s era music I thought he was extremely convincing as a rock star.

Jean-Hugues Anglade (Simon); Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Connected to this is the throwback soundtrack opening with Tears For Fears’ EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD and one of the climactic scenes Phil Collins’ EASY LOVER. There was also CHARIOTS OF FIRE by Mark Ayres, Isaac Hayes’ RUN FAY RUN and even JUST PLAYING (Dreams) by The Notorious B.I.G. There’s an extra chuckle from those who are familiar with those songs. This is not to discount the work of Jon Brion who composed moving original music for the film as well.

Peugeot is the official French Film fest car; Jean-Hugues Anglade (Simon) & Noée Abita (Lola).Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

In 2015 Anglade and his family in real life were saved by American servicemen: Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos from a terrorist attack. Anglade was in a train from Amsterdam to Paris when a gunman armed with automatic weapons were thwarted by the servicemen. The incident became a movie THE 15:17 TO PARIS directed by Clint Eastwood.

One Flaw

If there was one weakness in the story of SINK OR SWIM it’s the plausibility of potbellied, some overweight men as THE French team in synchronized swimming. I wouldn’t mind believing a group of guys coming together forming a synchronized swimming team and being happy doing it. But for them to represent France shouldn’t they be at least in shape doing it, even if they were 40 year olds? Although one might argue that this is exactly where the comedy comes from. If you can suspend your disbelief here then you can laugh your heart out and enjoy the movie.

Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Thierry played by Philippe Katerine is my favorite character. He has thinning hair on top with wild long hair on the sides. He always has a sunny disposition as a pool technician. For Pinoys there’s an unintended source of humor in translation / subtitles in his first line and nickname, “I’m Thierry call me Titi”.

Philippe Katerine (Thierry); Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. (16)

WordPress:

http://judebsports.wordpress.com/ , http://judebfood.wordpress.com/ , http://judebphoto.wordpress.com/ , http://judebgallery.wordpress.com/ , /

from left: FDCP Intl Rel. Officer Andrew Torlao, SSI Mktg Mgr Mitch Suarez, Nikki Huang, French Cultural Counselor Jean Jacques Forté, Spark Exec. Dir. Maica Teves and French Audio Visual Attaché Macalintal. The 24th French Film Festival will run from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. Photo by Jude Bautista

Virginie Efira (Delphine); Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas (19)

tumblr:

http://judebautista.tumblr.com/

Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

from left: Virginie Efira (Delphine) and Leïla Bekhti (Amanda).Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. (22)

flickr:

from left: THE BIG BAD FOX and MRS HYDE are both part of the 24thFrench Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Mathieu Amalric (Bertrand) and Marina Foïs (Claire). Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.(25)

http://judebautista.tumblr.com/

Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. (27)

WordPress:

http://judebsports.wordpress.com/ , http://judebfood.wordpress.com/ , http://judebphoto.wordpress.com/ , http://judebgallery.wordpress.com/ , /

All of the opposing teams were far more fit. Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Philippe Katerine (Thierry); Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. (29)

WordPress:

http://judebsports.wordpress.com/ , http://judebfood.wordpress.com/ , http://judebphoto.wordpress.com/ , http://judebgallery.wordpress.com/ , /

All of the opposing teams were far more fit. Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.

Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. (32)

tumblr:

http://judebautista.tumblr.com/

Virginie Efira (Delphine);Watch SINK OR SWIM at the 24th French Film Festival running from June 12-18, 2019 at Greenbelt 3 cinemas and Bonifacio High Street Cinemas.