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IMDbPro

The Big Blue

Original title: Le grand bleu
  • 19881988
  • PGPG
  • 2h 48m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
53K
YOUR RATING
The Big Blue (1988)
Theatrical Trailer from Columbia Tristar
Play trailer2:04
2 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureDramaSport
The rivalry between Enzo and Jacques, two childhood friends and now world-renowned free divers, becomes a beautiful and perilous journey into oneself and the unknown.The rivalry between Enzo and Jacques, two childhood friends and now world-renowned free divers, becomes a beautiful and perilous journey into oneself and the unknown.The rivalry between Enzo and Jacques, two childhood friends and now world-renowned free divers, becomes a beautiful and perilous journey into oneself and the unknown.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
53K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Luc Besson
  • Writers
    • Luc Besson(story)
    • Robert Garland(screenplay)
    • Marilyn Goldin(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Jean-Marc Barr
    • Jean Reno
    • Rosanna Arquette
  • Director
    • Luc Besson
  • Writers
    • Luc Besson(story)
    • Robert Garland(screenplay)
    • Marilyn Goldin(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Jean-Marc Barr
    • Jean Reno
    • Rosanna Arquette
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 170User reviews
    • 40Critic reviews
    • 35Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos2

    The Big Blue
    Trailer 2:04
    Watch The Big Blue
    The Big Blue
    Trailer 2:05
    Watch The Big Blue

    Photos156

    Jean-Marc Barr in The Big Blue (1988)
    The Big Blue (1988)
    The Big Blue (1988)
    Rosanna Arquette and Jean Reno in The Big Blue (1988)
    Jean-Marc Barr in The Big Blue (1988)
    Jean Reno, Jean-Marc Barr, and Marc Duret in The Big Blue (1988)
    Jean-Marc Barr in The Big Blue (1988)
    Jean Reno and Marc Duret in The Big Blue (1988)
    Rosanna Arquette and Jean Reno in The Big Blue (1988)
    Jean-Marc Barr in The Big Blue (1988)
    Jean-Marc Barr in The Big Blue (1988)
    The Big Blue (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jean-Marc Barr
    Jean-Marc Barr
    • Jacques Mayol
    Jean Reno
    Jean Reno
    • Enzo Molinari
    Rosanna Arquette
    Rosanna Arquette
    • Johana
    Paul Shenar
    Paul Shenar
    • Dr. Laurence
    Sergio Castellitto
    Sergio Castellitto
    • Novelli
    Jean Bouise
    Jean Bouise
    • Uncle Louis
    Marc Duret
    Marc Duret
    • Roberto
    Griffin Dunne
    Griffin Dunne
    • Duffy
    Andréas Voutsinas
    Andréas Voutsinas
    • Priest
    • (as Andreas Voutsinas)
    Valentina Vargas
    Valentina Vargas
    • Bonita
    Kimberly Beck
    Kimberly Beck
    • Sally
    • (as Kimberley Beck)
    Patrick Fontana
    • Alfredo
    Alessandra Vazzoler
    Alessandra Vazzoler
    • La Mamma
    Geoffrey Carey
    • Supervisor
    • (as Geoffroy Carey)
    Bruce Guerre-Berthelot
    • Young Jacques
    Gregory Forstner
    • Young Enzo
    Claude Besson
    • Jacques' Father
    Marika Gevaudan
    • Angelica
    • Director
      • Luc Besson
    • Writers
      • Luc Besson(story) (screenplay)
      • Robert Garland(screenplay)
      • Marilyn Goldin(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The most financially successful French film of the 1980s.
    • Goofs
      Unlike SCUBA divers, free divers become negatively buoyant below depths of around 15m (varies a bit depending on body type, weight belt, and wet-suit thickness). In the final scene when Jacques let's go of the sled to swim toward the dolphin, he appears neutrally buoyant. In reality, at that depth, he would have had to actively swim toward to surface to avoid passively sinking deeper.
    • Quotes

      Johanna: What's it feel like when you dive?

      Jacques: It's a feeling of slipping without falling. The hardest thing is when you're at the bottom.

      Johanna: Why?

      Jacques: 'Cause you have to find a good reason to come back up... and I have a hard time finding one.

    • Alternate versions
      Original 132-minutes French version has a music score by director Luc Besson's usual composer, Éric Serra. The USA version is 118 minutes long and was re-scored by Bill Conti. The version released in the rest of Europe is 118 minutes long. A special Version Longue (long) director's cut released in France is 168 minutes long.
    • Connections
      Featured in HBO First Look: The Best Man for the Job: The Making of 'The Professional' (1994)
    • Soundtracks
      MY LADY BLUE
      Lyrics by Luc Besson

      Composed by Éric Serra

      Performed by Éric Serra

    User reviews170

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Le grand bleu: I really don't know what to make of that
    At it's peak The Big Blue reached the 96th highest rated movie on IMDb, and that is no small feat. Learning this I was further astounded that I hadn't already seen it.

    French made by internationally renound director Luc Besson both as writer and director the Big Blue is a curious film that left me scratching my head yet oddly entertained.

    It tells the story of two friends since childhood with a passion for competetive deep sea diving. One is the world champion, arrogant and relatively famous while the other is more reclusive, mysterious and with a certain innocence.

    The two men compete against each other, constantly trying to one up the other while maintaining a loyalty and friendship. When a New York reporter begins to fall for one of the pair a story of love and friendship truly begins.

    Here is the trouble though, the friendship was questionable and the love felt hugely one sided. One character was conceited while the other ignorant and though gripped I struggled to care about the characters quite as much as I should have.

    The plot though competent is wafer thin, the love story flawed and considering this film is almost 3hrs long I felt it was remarkably shallow.

    On the flipside however the cast delivered on every front, the writing was wonderful the score was hugely fitting and the cinematography was absolutely second to none. The whole movie is perfectly crafted and has some of the most incredible visuals I've ever seen!

    Despite all it's glaring flaws and my inability to see this magical love story it is still a sight to behold and a triumph for Besson.

    The Good:

    Some stunning visuals

    Very charming

    Well scored

    Great cast

    The Bad:

    Didn't feel the incredible friendship

    Certainly didn't feel the love story

    Things I Learnt From This Movie:

    I'm starting to think that the story wasn't about friendship or love, but about undiagnosed mental illness

    That ending left me VERY uneasy
    helpful•25
    9
    • Platypuschow
    • Sep 11, 2018

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 19, 1988 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Italy
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Veliko plavetnilo
    • Filming locations
      • Agia Anna, Amorgos, Small Cyclades, Greece(location)
    • Production companies
      • Gaumont
      • Les Films du Loup
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • FRF 80,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,580,882
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,617,462
      • Aug 21, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,975,244
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 48 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

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