Cracks

Set in the 1930s, Eva Green is Miss G, a swimming / diving instructor at an exclusive girls boarding school and adored by her team of girls, captained by Di played by Juno Temple. They are enthralled by her tales and claims of worldly experience and travel which soon turns out not to be true. In fact, the team dynamic soon changes when an actual worldly wise and travelled Spanish girl joins the school who Miss G favours much to the anger of the other girls, particularly Di.

There has been some criticism that this is largely atmosphere over plot and there is some justification for this. That said, as with many sinister school stories, there are vicious undertones here and it all neatly builds through considerable tension to a shocking finale. Everyone in this is does a fine job and Eva Green has always been cut out for this sort of role, supported here by the growing stardom and acting talent of Juno Temple.

The story is quite good, easy to follow and the movie illustrates well how jealousy can result in bullying and ultimately into hate. Beautiful water shots and interesting story. The story is set in 1930's England and the arrival of a beautiful cultured girl stirs up everything. She's beautiful and talented but the school she is attending is backwards thinking and it seems that everybody just wants to carry on with the way the school has been run. The new Spanish pupil has a health condition which takes a predictable turn into the movie which a shame. Otherwise very good movie and well thought through dialogs.

The end is a bit short and abrupt.

A very nice person suggested me to transcribe, what I actually wrote on boards about this movie, as a review, so here we go. In the first place, I decided that this movie became one of my all-time favourites... and why is that I 'decided'? Because the more I thought of this movie after watching it, the more I liked it. And what I mean by that is, the main reason I loved this film, would probably be because of the feeling it generated on me. It felt like I was reading a book, an actual & good one, you know, because of its twists, its dramatic scenes and the complexity of its characters & emotions.

I liked the way it explores human emotions and relationships but centered in a darker side, let's just say. The dichotomy showed was so well made. It was all so real and so unreal at the same time. Besides, it certainly shows us the thin line that exists between desire and obsession. PLUS, the fact that such things are still going on nowadays, which makes it very realistic.

Even though I do know this movie is in fact based on a book, I can't really comment from that perspective since I didn't read it, but anyway that's not my point here... The way I see it, In my opinion, this film is so smart, intriguing, fascinating and so beautifully executed that not only will stay with you long afterwards but also will make you talk, comment about it with others, you know, and that's just simply the kind of movie I love to watch but unfortunately, there aren't enough films like this.

In addition to that: The cinematography was just... breathtaking. The locations... esthetically pleasing. The soundtrack... impeccable. The wardrobe... simply gorgeous.

And well, what to say about the actings? They were just... impressive, top-notch, especially Eva Green's one, which was jaw-dropping. She literally gave me the chills with her performance. She left me fascinated. That being said, Jordan Scott you are (ei) genius! Needless to say, I'm looking forward to see more of your work.

The film also reminded me of Lord of the Flies. It was like a cinematic challenge: can the same horror emerge from the humanity of children if they are girls, not boys, and they are in a prestigious English school, not lost on a wild island. The answer is yes! I feel that I spoil quite a lot saying more, so enough said.

This film is very well played by all actors, including the young girls, directed beautifully and using both impressive scenery and great costumes. What I found a little odd was the speed with which the girls were switching from best friends to evil witches and back again. I am told children are like that, so I should have probably ignored that some of the girls there were hot as hell and considered them all well under age.

Eva Green played a complex character, easy to sympathize with at times, easy to loathe at others. She carried this film almost to perfection.

Bottom line: I kept this film in my private collection. I think it is a must see.

What a masterpiece Jordan Scott has put together here. She's created a work of art transcribing this novel to film with all it's topical and universal applications. Not many films move me to tears, but this one did.

Nothing is harder than to be great and to be misunderstood, to have no means of moving your talents forward as symbolized by both the isolation of the dramatic school on the island, and the the swim team. Nothing is harder than not to fit in. Nothing is more wrenching than potential and innocence gone to naught, and evil that lurks in all our hearts.

But there is redemption in true friends, the hero which rises to the cal in the best of our selves, if only for a moment, before it all dissolves into thin air....such stuff a dreams are made on.

Not only was the cast superbly selected, but the setting, on location shots, the costumes and very important the film score made this a superb experience for me.