WATER LILIES (Céline Sciamma, France). 85 minutes. Subtitles. Monday (May 19), 7:30 pm, ROM. Rating: NNN
Your response to Water Lilies depends on just how much teenage angst you can take.
There’s tons of it here as gawky Marie (Pauline Acquart) negotiates her friendship with overweight Anne (Louise Blachère), an aspiring synchronized swimmer.
When hot babe and synchro star Floriane (Adèle Haenel), a confused young woman sought after by all the boys but still saddled with her virginity, starts toying with Marie, the relationships get complicated.
What works is the authenticity of the themes – peer pressure, sexual confusion, mean girls – and the characters, played superbly by the young actors.
No easy answers here.
