The Swamp (2001) - Lucrecia Martel

Two large families spend the summer together in a low-end resort town in Northwest Argentina.  Spending most of their time at the filthy pool, the middle-aged members of these families drown themselves in booze, while the rambunctious children find their own ways to pass the time.  With the hot sun beading down on them, repressed family tensions begin to leak to the surface, threatening the stability of the family units with violence.  Lucrecia Martel's The Swamp is an expertly crafted film that has little interest in narrative, presenting a disjointed story of tension lying underneath the surface.  The beginning of the film is absolutely unforgettable, with Martel showcasing her visual eye in a beautifully composed sequence that establishes the setting and characters in an almost completely visual way.  Everything in this film, the cinematography, acting, and direction, are stellar, with Martel creating a film that feels incredibly naturalistic.  With The Swamp you never feel like you are watching actors, but simply behavior, with an underlying unsettling atmosphere of normalcy that feels like it could turn violent at any point.  Lucrecia Martel's The Swamp is one of the most impressive debut features in some time, offering an intriguing portrait of a not-so-perfect family on the brink.

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