When a child of an established filmmaker begins making films themselves, it can often bring mixed results. It can breed talent (Jason Reitman) or relative obscurity (Jennifer Chambers Lynch), but it always begs the question as to whether talent runs in the family or if privilege reigns above all. Ridley Scott’s daughter Jordan Scott clearly presents a strong debut feature film in “Cracks,” the story of a diving team at an all girls boarding school in 1934 England. Scott, certainly helped by her various collaborators on the film, crafts an impressively consummate film more polished than you might expect from even a well-seasoned filmmaker.
The film begins with a short scene of schoolteacher Miss G (Eva Green) and student Di (Juno Temple) conversing on a boat in a pond surrounded by mountains. Before any dialogue is spoken or story explained, it is immediately clear that this is nothing short of a visually sumptuous film. It might seem that a good eye for visuals runs in the Scott family, and while this may be true, a big part of the film’s gorgeous aesthetic can most likely be attributed to pops’ recent go-to cinematographer John Mathieson.
Getting past the film’s visuals, the story, adapted from Sheila Kohler’s novel of the same name, is told from the point of view of the girls’ diving team during a summer session at a girls’ boarding school. Di is the queen bee of the group, demanding her peers attention to as much to herself as to their coach Miss G. All is well and good within the team until Fiamma (Maria Valverde), a child of Spanish aristocracy, arrives. Fiamma’s exotic allure immediately captures the fascination of both the team (much to Di’s chagrin) and their coach alike.
The film’s construction from here on out is simple – the girls learn more about Fiamma as Miss G becomes more infatuated with her and Di more disapproving. The group dynamic here is strong, with Temple’s Di rounded out by Imogen Poots’ portrayal as Poppy and several other first time actresses. The group is treated as exclusive as they might perceive themselves to be, as we never really get a glimpse of the other girls at the school. Although, most of the characters are never developed as much as Di or Fiamma, we never get the sense that they’re just faces on a screen. Instead, the team seems like an actual group displaying a simultaneous friendship and sometimes fierce competition that is appealing to any age or gender despite its period setting.
As the story is told mostly from the point of view of the kids, Miss G is not undeveloped but instead rather mysterious. She is motivated by outward appearances and heeding to personal desires, but her motivations and background are only hinted at. Green takes advantage of her character’s mystique and plays it with a strong confidence and vivaciousness. However, her interest and eventual romantic infatuation with Fiamma can occasionally come across as forced and without true motivation, no matter how mysterious the character may appear to be.
Instead of the sometimes empty genteel quality of other British filmmakers like Stephen Daldry or Joe Wright, Scott’s film rarely feels cheesy or without purpose. Instead, Scott certainly creates a tangible, dreamy mood in “Cracks” (think Peter Weir’s “Picnic At Hanging Rock,” especially with the similar subject matter). The films’ undisclosed island location lends a disorienting quality that is depicted visually as much as it is within the story. While never venturing into the surreal, the film’s diffuse lighting, Javier Navarrete’s excellent score, and initially idyllic character interaction gives the sense that what we are viewing is a subtly exaggerated depiction of an otherwise “normal” story. Occasionally, this tone drops out in favor for some over-the-top character interactions and plot points, perhaps dramatizing what would otherwise be trivial events. But, these excursions (excluding the rather sudden climax of the film that we didn’t quite buy as fitting) do make some sense thematically as this is a story of adolescent girls – why wouldn’t there be at least some level of histrionics involved?
“Cracks” is certainly an impressive start for Jordan Scott. It’s clear that at the very least that she can construct a great looking film if nothing else. Though the subject matter may seem uninteresting or even silly (admittedly the film does have its moments of silliness) to some, “Cracks” is an overall satisfying aesthetic experience that provides a certain look at adolescence which transcends its period setting. [B]