Critic Reviews

• John Hartl, Seattle Times

  A gracefully acted, unsentimental, quite likable little coming-of-age movie.

• Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

  The film is an earnest try at beachcombing verismo, but it would be even more indistinct than it is were it not for the striking, quietly vulnerable personality of Ms. Ambrose.

• Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

  The town has kind of an authentic feel, but each one of these people stand out and everybody else is in the background and it just seems manufactured to me and artificial.

• John Anderson, Newsday

  Swimming isn't a major film. Nor does it try to be. But what, in the end, is a major film? If it's one that accomplishes what it sets out to do, then we ought to correct ourselves.

• Dave Kehr, New York Times

  An unusually dry-eyed, even analytical approach to material that is generally played for maximum moisture.

• Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

  Swimming is above all about a young woman's face, and by casting an actress whose face projects that woman's doubts and yearnings, it succeeds.

• Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

  The anti-touristy mood of Siegel's film sets it apart from other less thoughtful teen beach flicks.

• Merle Bertrand, Film Threat

  [Siegal] proves that you don't have to be a just out of film school Gen-X'er to make a resonant and entertaining movie about young adults.

• Jean Lowerison, San Diego Metropolitan

  Flawed, but worth seeing for Ambrose's performance.

• Eric Monder, Film Journal International

  Unlike most teen flicks, Swimming takes its time to tell its story, casts mostly little-known performers in key roles, and introduces some intriguing ambiguity.

• Pete Croatto, Filmcritic.com

  Though the material sounds complex and potentially sleep-inducing, director Robert J. Siegel paints his portrait of boredom and discontent with deft strokes.

Read all 11 critic reviews