Swimming Upstream
Picture: B-
Sound: B Extras: B- Film: B+
Why is it that some of the best films get the worst
marketing? Swimming Upstream from 2003 virtually went undetected, despite
being a fairly powerful film with excellent performances to account the real
life story of Australian swimming champ, Tony Fingleson. Geoffrey Rush delivers another superb
performance as the alcoholic over-the-top dad that only cares about Tony’s
winning, and his suffering wife played by Judy Davis.
The film is tight, strong, poignant, and really a fine
piece of drama that should get better recognition. Especially considering the fact that most films about the trials
and tribulations of athletes always seem to garner good support. People still hunt down movies like Prefontaine or Chariots of Fire. Perhaps
with the film now out on DVD through MGM the film will get better rental
business and even some purchases along the way.
Russel Mulcahy, who has done some interesting and dynamic
work ranging from doing work with Queen, 1994’s The Shadow, and even the TV
series Queer as Folk, directs the film.
Looking down his credentials it’s probably safe to say that this might
be his best film to date. The 1.85 X 1
anamorphic transfer displays a rather grainy palette of colors, which may have
been intended to some degree, but also gives the film an older look, and while
it might be natural it does not have the detail and definition that some people
have come to expect with DVD’s. Also
the 5.1 mix is your typical weak Dolby Digital mix that does very little glory
for the films dialogue or soundtrack and with no extras on the disc, this makes
for a hard sale, but a good rental.
Check it out.
- Nate Goss
