Submerge

Submerge straight up just doesn’t have enough to it for me to recommend it.

This Australian film focuses on a queer university student named Jordan. Jordan lives with her bisexual best friend, Lucas. She’s also a high-level swimmer. Basically, Jordan has a lot of only slightly exaggerated normal university experiences. Then, she seduces her tutor, Angie. Angie’s husband, Cameron also works for the university and Jordan works for him. It all gets a little messy, but in a very safe sort of way.

While there is conflict and plot points, there’s little urgency in Submerge. Jordan might fuck up, but she’s ultimately in a pretty safe position. There’s the whole discussion of privilege and the general low stakes of messy university affairs, but it’s more than that. Sometimes Submerge full-on undercuts its own conflict. Like with Jordan’s mother. Jordan’s mother has very high expectations of her, especially in regards to Jordan’s swimming. So, maybe Jordan’s options are to quit swimming or to maintain a relationship with her mother. That’s a stake! Oh no, wait. Jordan’s dad is nice. And he assures Jordan he can talk her mother round and just wants her to be happy. That’s nice and all, but what was the point of any of this?

I asked myself, “what is the point” a lot during Submerge. The film never made a strong enough argument for why these characters are the leads. They’re not very likeable and while there is drama, it as again, pretty minor. All the leads in Submerge are somehow simultaneously messy and boring. That’s not a great combo. So many of the situations in this film are either easily fixed, or entirely Jordan’s fault. At one point she’s angry at Angie because she won’t acknowledge Jordan in front of her husband? Girl. You’re having an affair!

In the third act, it does up the drama. Because it feels like it has to. The way the drama is upped is also cliche and essentially an easy way out of other problems. Angie’s husband finds out about the affair. He handles it badly. So badly that he gets homophobic and a little violent. It’s not that this is entirely unrealistic. But it is also true that him reacting this way makes him the worst person in this scenario. So the whole lesbian affair thing looks better in comparison. Another instance where the film could’ve pushed more but didn’t. Jordan’s actions are messy and often, she’s actually in the wrong. But the film is reticent to lay blame with her or have her admit wrongdoing.

There’s also a BDSM subplot. It doesn’t really go anywhere. Jordan meets a cool woman at a bar, turns out she’s into kink. Once the film needs to show that Jordan’s in a dark, edgy place, they show her going to the BDSM club. She also has sex with a man during this phase. So edgy. Like everything in this film, this doesn’t amount to much.

I didn’t have high expectations of Submerge. And still, it managed to let me down. The story feels not just aimless, but needless. I don’t like or care about these characters or this scenario. I don’t feel inspired, entertained or educated by any of this. This is one of those movies that I give a negative review to because there’s just not enough positive to say about it. The film is a bit thin on the ground anyway, and what they do present is less than great.

Overall rating: 3.8/10

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