DVD: Cracks

(Out on DVD, Blu-ray & EST on March 29, 2010)

Once upon a time, long, long ago in our January issue, one of our contributors wrote a critics piece on Cracks. She noted that the media's coverage of the film, which had largely described the film as the story of a sensual lesbian awakening in a private girls' school, blurred the line between sexual abuse and sexual discovery.

While I agree with this analysis (which is worth finding a copy of the January issue to read, if you haven't already) and found that Eva Green's discussion of her teacher character in the DVD extras made my eyebrows raise slightly, I couldn't help but love this film. It's difficult to take your eyes off Eva Green's beautiful Miss G, the teacher crush object who develops her own obsession with an indifferent pupil, Fiamma, played by Maria Valverde. Green is perfectly cast, and really makes the character believable. (Fiamma's 'awakening' is clearly problematic, but makes the film more interesting, surely?)

Green is not the only one who delivers a great performance. Juno Temple as Di, Miss G's former favourite, is equally brilliant throughout, capturing the sullen intensity of an unwanted admirer very well. This is a film all about obsessive, unrequited love, and the extreme acts which these intense passions can drive people to, but prettied up for the screen.

The film's setting is beautiful, the script is great, and it all builds up to a highly dramatic ending that I didn't see coming. Cracks is a great film that I'll definitely be watching again soon.

Reviewed by Eden Carter Wood
29.03.10

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