Ending of the Movie "Swimming Pool" (spoiler)

Factual Questions
1

I just saw the film “Swimming Pool” and was disappointed at the ending.

I am not sure what it is supposed to mean. I’m fairly bright, but I can’t conceive of a meaning to the ending that would adequately explain everything that came before and which would warrant the positive reviews of the film.

For example, if the ending means that all the events in France were just imagined by the author, then what was the deal with the cross over her bed, Julie’s scar, Julie’s deception regarding her mother, and the unusual reaction of Marcel and his daughter when questioned about Julie’s mother. An interesting theory is that Sarah imagined Julie and did everything we saw Julie do hereself. This is plausible on some level because we never see Julie commit the crime, or cover it up (Sarah digs the grave, buries the clothes, etc.). However, why would Sarah search for Franc then? Again, what is the signiciance of the cross, why does she sleep with Marcel, why does she wear the robe that belongs to Julia’s mother?

I’m convinced this is a case of the director not even knowing what the ending means, and a case of the emperor having no clothes among the critics. Roger Ebert’s review in particular is an example of this.

I’m curious as to what other Dopers think.

2

My theory is that the French part of the movie is really the novel that Sarah is writing and turns in to the publisher at the end of the movie. We see his real daughter then and it seems clear that the movie Julie is imaginary.

Unfortunately, this theory undermines any and all character development that Sarah shows during the movie, and makes the entire picture meaningless.

3

Well, thats as good as any other theory I have come across but it does not jibe with Sarah’s description of the book she turns in to her publisher or his rejection of it. It does make the events in France meaningless, and does not jibe with the excellent reviews.

4

My theory is that the reviewers didn’t get the ending either! :smiley: