The Sea

Following the death of his wife, Max Morden (Ciarán Hinds) returns to his childhood seaside world. He stays with Miss Vavasour (Charlotte Rampling) from his past and a trauma from childhood comes rushing back. As a child, he befriends twins Chloe Grace and Myles Grace from the town. Myles is mute and Chloe is mercurial. They have a rambunctious house with parents Connie (Natascha McElhone) and Carlo (Rufus Sewell) along with young nanny Rose.

The present day story is a bit too jumbled. Certainly, the film is doing something with memories and holding back a big reveal. The back and forth between the different times with the accompanying confusing rekindled memories is a big hurdle. The present day flow is compromised. On the other hand, the past story is very compelling. I like the weird kids, the weird parents, and the mysterious Rose situation. It would be better with a simplified present day reveal and a straight forward past narrative story.