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Water Lilies (2007)
"Naissance des pieuvres" (original title)

 -  Drama  -  15 August 2007 (France)
6.6
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Ratings: 6.6/10 from 4,753 users   Metascore: 65/100
Reviews: 27 user | 71 critic | 12 from Metacritic.com

Summer in a new suburb outside Paris. Nothing to do but look at the ceiling. Marie, Anne and Floriane are 15. Their paths cross in the corridors at the local swimming pool, where love and desire make a sudden, dramatic appearance.

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Title: Water Lilies (2007)

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Pauline Acquart ...
Louise Blachère ...
...
Warren Jacquin ...
François
Christel Baras ...
L'inspectrice
Marie Gili-Pierre ...
La caissière (as Marie Gili Pierre)
Alice de Lencquesaing ...
Fille vestiaire
Claire Pierrat ...
Fille vestiaire 2
Barbara Renard ...
Natacha
Esther Sironneau ...
La vendeuse
Jérémie Steib ...
Le masseur
Yvonne Villemaire ...
La voisine
...
Type boîte (as Chrisophe Vandevelde)
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Storyline

Three girls, each about 15, deal with puberty, the onset of sexual attraction, and, for two, the pressure of virginity. Marie, who's slight and diffident, quiet and nearly expressionless, is friends with Anne, who's a bit chunky and impulsive and has decided that François will be her first love. Watching synchronized swimming, Marie is suddenly attracted to the team captain, Floriane, beautiful, aloof, tall, and rumored to be a slut. François pursues her. Marie begins to hang around her; they trade favors, and soon it's an odd sort of friendship. Each of the three experiences her own first, and Marie must sort out attraction and friendship. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Genres:

Drama

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

15 August 2007 (France)  »

Also Known As:

Les pieuvres  »

Filming Locations:


Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$7,418 (USA) (4 April 2008)

Gross:

$77,310 (USA) (8 August 2008)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Goofs

When Marie first gets into the water, invited by Floriane, Marie's hair is already wet. See more »

Soundtracks

"Les allées"
by Para One
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Topsy-turvy relations among three adolescent girls
31 March 2008 | by (United States) – See all my reviews

Three teenage girls in an incomplete triangular relation. The base of the triangle is barely there. At the apex is Marie, a serious, short and lean tomboy with a Belmondo-like facial structure. Her best friend is the physical and psychological opposite: coquette, chubby -- I dare say fat -- and desirous for her first kiss with a boy but not quite ready for her first sexual encounter. Because of her chubbiness, boys don't seem interested and it pains her.

The other leg of the apex is a beautiful "fille fatale" blonde vamp. She is deeply involved in the sport of synchronized swimming performing at competitive level. Marie sees her during a competition at the local public swimming pool. Marie insinuates herself into the life of the vamp using the desire to become a synchronized swimmer as an argument. The vamp has a reputation of being a whore, making out with any young male that orbits around her. Marie is not phased out by that reputation. Put a stress on reputation.

The first half is set up. We get to see a lot of synchronized swimming as we become familiar with the three girls. Eventually the narrative leaves synchronized swimming behind and concentrates on the topsy-turvy relations among the three. That's when unexpected things start to happen.

It is a trademark of French films to drop nuggets of wisdom on the viewer. This one is no exception. Here it is about ceilings and the dying. See the film to learn more.

The director says that the use of synchronized swimming is purposeful. That women-only sport is a metaphor for a girl's life: pretty and feminine on the surface while hard working and competitive underneath. A number of scenes drive this point: elegant moves and smiles for the public, legs kicking ungainly underwater. The title in French is also suggestive: "prieuve", or octopus, suggest an individual having to juggle many pressures simultaneously.


44 of 56 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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Did the 'sex' scene go too far? ellie_maracas
would someone like to recommend me a movie like this? updownleftright
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This movie has the one of the best ending i ever seen p-loutfi
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when does this come out on DVD anywhere ? BassFace
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