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Poster for The Big Blue

The Big Blue

Seen it?

1988 | 168 min | Romance, Adventure, Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Audiences rate it highly (7.4 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, though it had middling reviews (62% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a box office loss. 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 and adventure fans. If you loved The Poseidon Adventure or We Live in Time, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood
Warm and romantic.
The pace
Epic and sweeping, at 2 hr 48 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
  • It's long: 2 hr 48 min.
  • It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Critics were cooler on it than audiences.

Childhood friends Jacques and Enzo share a passion for the danger of free diving. Jacques, following in the footsteps of his father, who died at sea when Jacques was a boy, harbors a remarkable ability to adjust his heart rate and breathing patterns in the water, with his vital signs more closely resembling those of dolphins than men.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsBelow par

    62% on Rotten Tomatoes, 35 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.4 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $4 million worldwide on a $14 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 151K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Luc Besson

  • Rosanna ArquetteJohana Baker
  • Jean-Marc BarrJacques Mayol
  • Jean RenoEnzo Molinari
  • Paul ShenarDr. Laurence
  • Sergio CastellittoNovelli
  • Jean BouiseUncle Louis
  • Marc DuretRoberto
  • Griffin DunneDuffy
  • Valentina VargasBonita
  • Kimberly BeckSally