Swim Fan

As far as teenage thrillers go, "Swim Fan" isn't half bad. In fact, my friends and I enjoyed it much more than the typical cheesy teeny bopper movie. Usually you know what you are getting into with trailers and previews, so none of you out there can complain about "Swim Fan" not living up to your expectations.

First of all, no movie can go wrong with a good looking cast. "Swim Fan" is no exception, however most of the actors featured in "Swim Fan" are fairly talented actors. It stars Jesse Bradford from Bring it On fame and the gorgeous Erika Christensen, widely known as Michael Douglas` drug addict daughter in Traffic. Also appearing in the movie is Shiri Appleby, from the WB`s science fiction drama Roswell.

Remember back to high school when there was always that one perfect person? Bradford plays Ben Cronin who is exactly one of those people. He has the perfect girlfriend, Amy, who is played by Appleby, on the way to a full ride scholarship to the college of his dreams for swimming, and loads of friends. A life like that can only last so long.

Enter Madison Bell, Erika Christensen's character, a pretty stranger new to town. While all the other guys drool over Madison, she sets her sights on Ben, letting the fact that he has a serious girlfriend not get in her way. Madison seduces Ben, and in true teenage thriller form the seduction takes place in the high school swimming pool. However, some of you out there may be disappointed to know that unlike most teen movies there is no nudity, even in the pool seduction scene. That's where the trouble begins. Madison's crush turns into full on obsession even though proclaiming to Ben that she understands they are only and will only ever be friends.

At first it appears to Ben as if Madison's interest is just an innocent crush. However after a couple of strange events, including Madison becoming friends with his girlfriend Amy, it becomes clear that Madison has more than a crush. The obsession becomes crystal clear after Ben rejects Madison and sets her on her psychotic spree. Madison will stop at nothing to get to Ben, even murder.

There are some interesting twists in the plot. The characters aren't as typical as the high school kids that are usually characterized in thrillers. Surprisingly, none of the characters are the un-original football players or cheerleaders characters. In fact, there are no football players or cheerleaders in the entire movie, hopefully a move that the movie industry will continue to follow by dreaming up plots that haven't been done a hundred times over. Ben is a champion swimmer, while not all that original; there is actually some depth to his character. And Madison, while a certified nutcase, is a talented cellist.

However, at some points in the movie the viewer is left to wonder what the actors and screenwriters are trying to get across. Like when Ben admits to his girlfriend that he hated his father because he always cheated on his mom and swore that he would never be like him. Umm, if that's so then why was he in the pool with Madison? And that's all the viewer ever hears about it. Could someone explain the point of that statement in the movie? Was there supposed to be some sort of resolution? If there was, I think I missed it.

The cinematography in "Swim Fan" was also a surprise. One would expect low grade work based on past movies of the same genre as "Swim Fan," but director John Polson and director of photography Giles Nuttgens stepped up to the job. Nuttgens, the 2001 Sundance Film Festival Award for Best Cinematography, combines his talent with that of Polson's to create an enjoyable visual experience for the audience. The underwater shots used are especially good, in part to Nuttgens` use of a new type of Kodak film.

Lee Ann