Water Lilies
Seen it?2007 | 85 min | Drama, Romance
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (81% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 25 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Set during a sultry summer in a French suburb, Marie is desperate to join the local pool's synchronized swimming team, but is her interest solely for the sake of sport or for a chance to get close to Floriane, the bad girl of the team? Sciamma, and the two leads, capture the uncertainty of teenage sexuality with a sympathetic eye in this delicate drama of the angst of coming-of-age.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 67 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 55K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Céline Sciamma
- Pauline AcquartMarie
- Louise BlachèreAnne
- Adèle HaenelFloriane
- Warren JacquinFrançois
- Christel BarasL'inspectrice
- Marie Gili-PierreLa caissière
- Alice de LencquesaingFille vestiaire
- Claire PierratFille vestiaire 2
- Barbara RenardNatacha
- Esther SironneauLa vendeuse