Water Lilies

Water Lilies received numerous critical acclaim from people far smarter people who actually make a living reviewing movies. However, I personally will not be giving it an overly positive review. My main critique of this otherwise good but not great coming-of-age film is that it made me confront the uncomfortable reality that it’s not just male directors who can be predatory and skeevy towards the women and girls they work with.

Water Lilies is a French coming-of-age film focusing on three 15-year old girls, Marie, Floriane and Anne. They are all members of a synchronized swimming team. The lead character, Marie, is interested in Floriane. Marie’s interest in Floriane drives a wedge between her and her friend Anne. A tenuous romantic relationship between Marie and Floriane builds with various set-backs because of heteronormative pressures. This relationship finally leads to a breaking point between Marie and Anne.

Personally, I’m at an age where coming-of-age films don’t do much for me. I’m too old to relate personally but not old enough to look back with nostalgia. As such, Water Lilies was never going to do much for me. Generally, I would give this film a 6/10 for being fine but not something I personally liked. However, my personal rating is lowered further by the aforementioned skeeviness.

The skeeve-factor comes from the on and off-screen fascination that director Céline Sciamma has in the bodies of her teenage characters. There is too much camera focus on the young, developing bodies of these girls. This factor had me internally scream “male gaze!” before I looked it up and discovered that the director was female. While normally I would applaud a movie casting teenagers to play teenagers, in this case it made me like it less. The way that Sciamma depicts the bodies of these underage girls on camera is far too objectifying and sexualized. Her camera has far too much fascination in underage bodies and that is reprehensible to me.

Water Lilies got fairly good reviews from various critics so maybe I’m being too harsh. But personally, I couldn’t see past my own displeasure in regards to the sexualization and objectification of minors to enjoy it. Even if, for no valid reason, I disregard that aspect and my feelings on the subject of underage sexualization, my review of this movie would just be a tepid “it’s fine.” Including the underage exploitation aspect, my review is that, “it’s not fine.”

Overall rating: 4.9/10

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