I was thrilled by the prospect of spending a Sunday evening with my popcorn in front of 1930s-set indie film “Cracks”.
‘Miss G’, played by husky-voiced ex-Bond girl Eva Green, is a boarding school’s swimming instructor, whose team is captivated by her exquisitely glamorous style and enticing ideals, viz: “The most important thing in life, is desire”.
Her microcosmic existence is rocked by the arrival of Spanish aristocrat Fiamma, a new pupil whose past is draped in an exotic mist of boys and travel. She also happens to be the best diver of the lot. This, coupled with the swooning attentions of Miss G, gives the other girls great reason to despise her. But the teacher’s world soon starts to unravel, revealing her to be more the talented storyteller than world-weary maverick.
Anticipating enigmatic teacher/pupil crushes and relationships that would challenge my ethics, what I got was more like the cast of The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie trying their hand at Prisoner Cell Block H.
Eva Green’s naked swimming was easily the redeeming feature of this movie. It was also beautifully shot, the setting and scenery reminiscent of those swoonful melting Lindt chocolate ads. Even such advantages as these however weren’t enough to counter a predictable plotline, populated by stereotypes. Apart from those hardened fans of Miss Green, I’d say this film’s destiny lies firmly on YouTube.
“Cracks” is still out, here and there.