Head Above Water

"Head Above Water" certainly isn't a classic film or anything, yet it's probably worth a watch even though the film is short and the humor is dark and the plot is somewhat weak. The performances from Diaz and Keitel make it worth a view. Cameron Diaz as sexy as ever stars as Nathalie a free spirited young lady who's had a rough past with substance abuse, and supposedly now that her spouse is a judge named George(Harvey Keitel)her problems have washed ashore at their summer beach place. Upon a visit from an ex flame of Nathalie's a young man Kent(Billy Zane)takes an unexpected departure and things only become more complex when nearby friend Lance(Craig Sheffer)rounds out the mix in what is found to be a triple love triangle! Overall nothing great it's just some good and sexy work from Diaz in one of her early works as the plot just unravels to show a slick and messy triple love triangle.

The great thing about this film is that once the usual character-building stuff is out of the way, you will not move an inch and your eyes will only move if you have a widescreen television...

Sterling performances from both Harvey Keitell and Cameron Diaz really make this film come alive and as incident after incident fall upon the hapless couple, you feel yourself gripping the chair more and more, your nails getting smaller and smaller, and the enjoyment increasing and increasing.

All in all, Head Above Water is a great film, with good (if not at times, erratic) directing, and with superb acting.

Quick note for the norwegian readers. The film "Head above water is a remake of Mikkel Gaups' "Hodet over vannet". The original is much better. Also, don't leave the theatre at once, wait until after the credits :)

Released in 1996, "Head above Water" is a black/romantic dramedy about a couple living on an island off the coast of Maine (Harvey Keitel and Cameron Diaz) and their grounds keeper (Craig Sheffer). A series of serious problems arise when the girl's ex-boyfriend visits while the guys are on a fishing trip (Billy Zane).

This is a generally entertaining farce highlighted by the beauty of both Diaz and the coastal locations. While the plot is simple you have to pay attention or you'll miss various twists where the viewer is led to believe one thing, which is then proved false by further information. I didn't pay attention too well the first time I viewed it and therefore discovered some enlightening elements on my second viewing.

BOTTOM LINE: "Head above Water" isn't bad at all, but it's not great either, although it has an interesting subtext (see below). At any rate, it's a must for Diaz fans (as well as Keitel and Sheffer) and those who love the Maine coast.

The film runs 96 minutes and was shot in Phippsburg, Maine.

GRADE: Borderline B-/C+

***SPOILER ALERT*** (Don't read further if you haven't seen the movie)

The subtext is obvious: Beautiful women equal death (think Metallica's DEATH MAGNETIC). In the movie Natalie is indirectly the cause of death of all the men, which include: the bad boy (Kent), the fatherly husband (George), her best friend from childhood who's always had a crush on her (Lance), and the policeman at the end seeking to save a damsel in distress.

Get this plot line: married couple Keitel and Diaz are on vacation (honeymoon, maybe, can't remember), on a small island. Their only neighbor is Sheffer, a friend of Diaz. Along comes Zane, as Diaz's ex-lover. He talks Diaz into letting him stay the night. The next morning when Diaz goes to check on him, he's dead. Cause of death is, appearantly, a heart attack. At that same moment Keitel and Sheffer are arriving on shore. She tries to hide the body, but Keitel stumbles onto it (literally). Did I mention that Keitel is a judge? He believes that the only solutions would be to dispose of the body, or possibly be charged with murder. At that point the question arises about his death. Could it have been murder? If so, let's look at the suspects. Diaz obviously didn't kill him, so that leaves the other two. Is it Keitel, the possibly jealous husband, or Sheffer? This plot has "potential" written all over it.

Head Above Water is a remarkable black comedy with great performances and a great script that keeps you guessing. Just when you think you've found the killer, along comes some new evidence to point you in another direction. It plays great as both a Mystery and a Comedy, although the comedy is quite subtle. Anyone with a taste for mystery and comedy is in for a real surprise. Even if you aren't into those genre's, you'll still enjoy this great film. It would be extremely hard to dislike, because it's just so much fun.