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D. C. Johnston | Syracuse, NY | 10/05/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A community pool in Connecticut is the setting for this "under the radar" film

which is charming, funny,entertaining, and appealing. Although it won prizes

in major film festivals, The Big Bad Swim was not widely released to theatres

across America, but was distributed in DVD form, and selectively shown.



It is unfortunate that The Big Bad Swim never had the marketing muscle of a Hollywood

release, considering how many sinkers Hollywood HAS released this year.

The Big Bad Swim, a genuinely good independent film, has to swim upstream on its own.



In "The Big Bad Swim," actress Paget Brewster is endearing and believable as Amy, the

wired-to-breaking point math teacher who loses her husband and is about to also

lose her job, but then ends up taking a gamble on a new life. TV soap actor Jeff Branson--

who is HOT-- plays Noah, the earnest, vulnerable swim teacher who goes the extra pool

length to help his students overcome their fears, and discovers he can learn from his

students. Pretty, sexy Jess Weixler deftly plays Jordan, the swimmer to be who works two

jobs, one as a pole dancer, the other as a blackjack dealer. Her character provides the

catalyst for change amongst the ensemble, but is the least understandable of the characters,

because of alack of a "back story" or motivation as to why she does what she does. Jordan

is young enough to stilllive at home with a ubiquitous, video camera toting younger

brother who spies on her, but her parents arenot shown to be involved with her life in

any way, which seems odd. There's no drunken mother or abusivefather here to explain

why a normal, attractive girlfrom a Connecticut suburb would choose to be a self

medicating pole dancer who debases herself for loutish bachelor parties. Despite this

nagging doubt, The Big Bad Swim succeeds, in large part, because it is a happy, feel good film.



As one might expect, learning to swim is the metaphor for life, where it's better to jump

in with both feet,and get in the swim, than to sit on the deck, because life happens

to you anyway.



The Big Bad Swim is a great date movie, a great dorm movie, a great "what haven't I seen" movie, and men

like it as well as women."

See it!

Gertrude Perkins | 07/24/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Funny, warm hearted comedy. Excellent cast. See it! (And don't be put off by the misguided cover art)"

A Story on a very human scale....

D. S. Thurlow | Alaska | 07/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The premise for 2006's "The Big Bad Swim" is an adult swim class at a pool in Connecticut, at which a young instructor tries to help the members of the class overcome their respective fears of the water. Away from the pool, the camera will follow the instructor and two of the students as they work through personal challenges, the resolution of which ultimately loop back through the class.



The movie portrays a very human-scale story. There are no car chases, murders, or extraordinary events, just people working through disappointments, divorces, deadend jobs, and second chances. Jeff Branson is the swimming instructor, an earnest young man trying to deal with a significant disappointment, the nature of which is not immediately revealed. His heart is in the right place, and we cannot help but root for his success. Paget Brewster plays a high school teacher going through a painful divorce and trying to restart her life. A chance friendship made at the class leads to new possibilities she is alternatively eager and reluctant to embrace. Jess Weixler plays a casino card dealer and hardened part-time stripper looking for an upside to her life, who finds that sometimes, you just have to ask.



The approach is generally humorous, although we are allowed to share the anxiety of the students over their fear of the water and other challenges in their lives. The plot device of having a couple of students present part of the story as a film documentary is only a partial success. However, tight direction and the deliberate, naturalistic pacing of the story carry the day.



"The Big Bad Swim" is very highly recommended as an entertaining and different indie film, a comedy-drama presented on a very human scale."

Great fun in the shallow end of the DVD aisle

J. Brown | 03/01/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Why is it so many lesser quality films draw so much attention, when a sweet little film like this gets left by the wayside?



I bought this DVD for one reason: Paget Brewster. What I discovered instead was a sweet film about people and relationships and taking chances and dealing with our faults and insecurities. Whoever came up with the cover art is selling sizzle for a film full of substance.



Jess Weixler, of 'Teeth', is great. And how many times do you get to talk about such strong female roles? I can't recommend this highly enough."