Swimfan (2002)

A high school senior with a promising swimming career has a one-night stand with consequences.

Director:

John Polson

Writers:

Charles F. Bohl, Phillip Schneider

Stars:

Jesse Bradford, Erika Christensen, Shiri Appleby

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jesse Bradford	...	Ben Cronin
Erika Christensen	...	Madison Bell
Shiri Appleby	...	Amy Miller
Kate Burton	...	Carla Cronin
Clayne Crawford	...	Josh
Jason Ritter	...	Randy
Kia Goodwin	...	Rene (as Kia Joy Goodwin)
Dan Hedaya	...	Coach Simkins
Michael Higgins	...	Mr. Tillman
Nick Sandow	...	Detective John Zabel
Pamela Isaacs	...	Mrs. Egan
James DeBello	...	Christopher Dante (as James Debello)
Phyllis Somerville	...	Aunt Gretchen Christopher
Tom Cappadona	...	Janitor
Malcolm Barrett	...	Jock

Storyline

New Jersey high school senior Ben Cronin is a former juvenile delinquent, whose past criminal behavior was fueled by and for drug use. He credits the support of his now long time girlfriend Amy Miller and getting into competitive swimming as the primary reasons for turning his life around, which includes working part-time at the hospital where his single mother works. He has become the star swimmer of his high school team, so much so that scouts from Stanford University are coming in a week's time to watch Ben swim. Ben has a new swim fan in Madison Bell, a recent transfer student to Ben's high school. Despite Ben making it clear that he is in a committed relationship, Madison seduces him, the seduction to which he succumbs. They agree afterward that their encounter was a one-time only event, but Ben slowly comes to the realization that despite Madison's assertions to the contrary, she has more in mind with him. He feels her constant unspoken threats to expose their tryst and ...

---

Plot Keywords:

high school | swimming | hospital | new jersey | stanford university | 

---

Taglines:

It's murder getting the man you want.

---

Genres:

Thriller | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexual content, disturbing images and language

Details

Official Sites:

West [ru]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 September 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Swimf@n

Filming Locations:

Bayonne High School - Avenue A & 28th Street, Bayonne, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$44,246 (South Africa) (11 April 2003)

Gross:

$44,246 (South Africa) (11 April 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, GreeneStreet Films, Cobalt Media Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joseph M. Caracciolo Jr.:  policeman in police car during opening credits.

---

Goofs

When Madison sends Ben a picture of herself, a cloth can be seen around her side behind her right arm used to cover up her cleavage

---

Quotes

Christopher Dante: You shouldn't be here. If she catches you in here, she'll kill you.
Ben: No shit.

---

Connections

Featured in Tell Me You Love Me: Episode #1.8 (2007)

---

Soundtracks

"Down in Me"
Written by Allergic
Performed by Allergic

User Reviews

This shouldn't be that good, but it is

I would like to say that this movie hasn't got many reasons to be as good as it is, because it is a teen/twentysomething play on a formula that's kind of, or for lack of a better phrase truly, been done to death. Fatal Attraction movies, while occasionally pulling at least one different trick out of their hat, are always the same, that's why Michael Douglas is in 95% of them. However, it's extremely well made by director John Polson and well-acted by the young cast, particularly Traffic's Erika Christensen, who shines as Madison Bell, the obsessive swim fan of the title.

The story deals with Ben Cronin, a high school senior who's life is going pretty well, as the hero's usually is at the start of these pictures, he has a lot of good friends, he has a girlfriend Amy (Shiri Appleby) who is as sweet as apple pie, and he's on the way to a swimming scholarship to Stanford. However, all of that changes once he encounters Madison Bell, the seductive new girl in town. He only wants to be friends with her, but after they have a one night stand, she becomes more obsessive, stalking him, ruining every aspect of his life, and generally acting like a nuisance. I suppose I don't have to say that because that is pretty much how a Fatal Attraction picture works.

What makes this movie work is that it is well done, and it is as creepy as most FA clones need to be if they expect to work. Plus, the three leads are all very good, albeit this film belongs to Erika Christensen, who does a pretty good job of stealing the movie.