Swimmers (2005) Reviews

• Thoughtful, melodic movie

  quillgordon2005-06-06

  Swimmers is a lovely, poetic movie about a young girl who needs an operation and the impact of the crisis on her family which does not have health insurance. The script touches on many universal themes: family, friendship, depleted fishing grounds, health care, problem drinking. The performances are wonderful, especially Cherry Jones, Robert Knott, and Tara Devon Gallagher. I saw Swimmers at the Seattle International Film Festival and I strongly recommend it. It just won the Portugese film festival so I am hopeful it will get a distributor as it deserves to be seen by a wide audience. Swimmers is reminiscent of Tender Mercies and Robert Knott's performance reminds me of Robert Duvall's in Tender Mercies--a huge compliment as Tender Mercies is one of my favorite movies. See Swimmers if you get the chance.

• Lifetime Movie on Steroids

  proflexxx2007-07-01

  This movie plays like a country song from the 70's. They didn't have a dog, but I'm sure it either ran off or died before filming started. Everything bad happens, constantly. This movie feels like it was created at a funeral home. The movie offer no hope. Even the ending feels uncomfortable. This movie is an onslaught of negative emotion. The only good thing that happens in the whole movie is the friendship forged between the little girl and the maniac. Then the maniac decides to dye the little girls hair black without the parents permission. Who does that? The movie starts at the bottom of a hill and goes down from there. Just when you think things have to get better, they get worse. This movie is a perpetual abuse of drama. This movie is a major downer! If you are feeling sad, please don't rent this movie. If you really enjoy other peoples misery, this is the movie for you! I sat through this movie because I rented it from Netflix. What a waste of a perfect summer afternoon.

• Gag me.

  shizz_272005-06-05

  The kind of well-intentioned, innocuous family film that makes you wanna to tear your friggin' hair out. Oxford, MD, is a nowhere, nothing seaside town where everybody's bored, getting drunk or fighting, and occasionally all three. Little Emma (cute Tara Devon Gallagher) needs ear surgery, so she can't swim, which is her hope and dream. Her father, who taught her to swim, is an oyster farmer who wrecks his boat, and winds up out of work, leaving the family unable to pay for the medical attention Emma needs. Merrill (Sarah Paulson) is woundup hornball headcase blowing through town, offering solace to almost everyone in town. Gag me. SWIMMERS would be totally agreeable, if completely insipid and boring and a huge waste of time, family entertainment if not for Merrill's following dialogue: "Want a bl*wjob? I won't f*ck, but I can give you a bl*wjob." (head scratch)… (yawn, stretch).

• Lovely, small film with deeply textured characters

  glmb2005-06-08

  I saw this just-about-perfect film when it screened at the Maryland Film Festival in May, 2005. Set in a small town, it tells the story of a Chesapeake Bay waterman's family as they pass through a crisis. The movie is superbly cast, with both famous (Cherry Jones) and unknown actors giving fine, nuanced performances. The Chesapeake Bay currently suffers significant ecological degradation from farm runoff, industrial pollution, and other factors. This has severely impacted crab, oyster, and fish populations and hence the livelihood of traditional Bay water-men. It is against this backdrop of economic struggle that the movie's story is told. Already poor and unable to afford health insurance, the family is pushed past the breaking point when their young daughter suffers a swimming injury and needs surgery.

• Flows like water.... Swimmers is a Keeper

  bbunchz2005-06-09

  Sadler's "Swimmers" portrays a waterman's family in crisis as a result of his daughter's need for ear surgery. The film provides a glimpse into the Tyler family's upheaval as they search for a financial solution for the necessary surgery. The water scenes were beautifully constructed and gave the viewer a look at the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay area. The sub-plots intricately weave together to bring about the conclusion to this thoroughly enjoyable and brilliant piece of work. I loved the film and found each character well cast. Most importantly, it provides real insight into the plight of the watermen and their diminishing way of life. Highly recommended! "Swimmers" is a keeper!"