SWIMMING WITH MEN
UK, 2018, 96 minutes, Colour.
Rob Brydon, Rupert Graves, Thomas Turgoose, Adeel Akhtar, Jim Carter, Daniel Mays, Charlotte Riley, Jane Horrocks, Nathaniel Parker.
Directed by Oliver Parker.
This is an entertaining small film written and directed by Oliver Parker (Othello, Importance of Being Earnest). He is not to be confused with writer, Ol Parker (the Marigold Hotel series, Mama Mia, Here We Go Again.)
In many ways this is a familiar story and can be traced back to such films as Brassed Off, The Full Monty, Finding Your Feet…
It is a story of a group of men, frustrated in their lives, personal dissatisfaction, personal griefs. The therapy is swimming. The central character is Eric, played by Rob Brydon in his familiar hangdog style, an expert accountant, suspicious of his wife who is running for local office and is constantly attended to by her boss. He also has a teenage son. His therapy is private swimming – but he finds the group at the swimming pool who practice synchronised swimming. He gives them some advice based on mathematics, pivots for their movement… They see him drinking at the pub and decide to ask his advice as well as inviting him to join the group.
A strong group of character actors portray the group, led by Rupert Graves, supported by the older Jim Carter, the quarrelsome Daniel Mays, the Middle Eastern man, Adeel Akhtar, and the youngster, in trouble with the police, played by Thomas Turgoose. There are two other members of the team, one being always silent, the other being beginning hefty, get very little attention from the screenplay. At the pool, there is a coach, Susan (Charlotte Riley) who encourages the men, gets them an opportunity to work at a children’s pool party, accepts the task of being their coach when a member of the Swedish team suggests that they are competitive.
There are scenes of training, scenes of bonding, rehearsals for movements, going to Milan for the competition, seeing the work of various teams – and finding that Great Britain comes second to the Swedes. Obviously, an enormous morale booster for the men – especially as they demonstrate outside the local council buildings and their swimming trunks with an appeal for Eric’s wife to reconcile with him.
Obviously, a great film candidate for men’s groups to see and discuss.
1. The title, the many swimming sequences, the men’s group and their therapy, their skills, training, competitiveness, the competition?
2. The British setting, homes, workplaces, swimming pools, pubs? Public offices and local welfare? The competition in Milan? The musical score?
3. The focus on Eric, Rob Brydon and his screen presence, age, experience, an ordinary Everyman, going to work, greeting people, his relationship with his wife, with his son? Supported by his boss but is finally resigning because of tax evasion suggestions? His therapy in going swimming by himself? Late for his wife’s party, her election, career, her boss and Eric’s suspicions? Heading for breakdown?
4. Heather, her relationship with Eric, her relationship with her son, her election to public office, the campaigns, parties, meetings, causes? Eric and his suspicions of her boss? Her reaction? Puzzle? Eric moving out? Her meetings, news about Eric? Her disbelief? Not confident in him? His giving her the tickets to Milan, her not going?
5. The meeting with the other members of the group, their not revealing much about their backgrounds, their personal problems? Their swimming, once a week, a drink afterwards? The bonding? Luke, the centre, his enthusiasm, the attraction towards Susan, his living on the boat, taking in Eric, sharing with him? Ted, older, working in the garden, the story of his wife’s death? Taking on Tom giving him an opportunity? Tom, younger, in trouble, drugs, ingenuous, chased by the police, the ankle bracelet? Colin, worrying, friendship, interactions with Tom, exasperated? His fears? The silent man, the big man – and their not get much attention from the screenplay?
6. Susan, training the children, admiring a man, getting them the gig at the children’s party and the reaction? The meeting with the Swede, his telling them about synchronised swimming, competitiveness? His having an eye on Susan? Her being asked to be their coach, the strict training, the planning, the movements, the difficulties and exasperation?
7. Heather’s boss, concerned for her, his presence in the house, Eric finding him, taking all the wine, the bottle that he had brought?
8. The decision about competition, the discussions, phone calls, everybody going in? Submitting to the training, the rehearsing, Thomas and his awkwardness? Thomas and the police, the ankle bracelet?: And his fears?
9. Going to Milan, the flight, the arrival, Eric hoping his wife would come? Seeing the other teams? Their performances? Swedes and the excellence? Their own performance, the crowd excited, the judges and their acknowledgement? The announcing of the places, Great Britain coming second, the delight? The congratulations of the Swedes?
10. The return home, in swimming trunks, in the open space, the song and the movement, the appeal to Heather, the boss and Eric punching him, the reconciliation – and his son reassured that swimming with men did not mean that they were gay?
11. The popular kind of story about underdogs, combining, training, competing and being successful? In the sport? Personal affirmation and morale boosting?
