Cracks (2009)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Jordan Scott

Writers:

Ben Court (written by)
Caroline Ip (written by)

Release Date:

4 December 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Innocence isn't lost. It's taken.

Plot:

A look at the lives and relationships among girls at an elite British boarding school. |

Plot Keywords:

Boarding School | One Word Title

Cast

Eva Green	...	Miss G
Juno Temple	...	Di Radfield
María Valverde	...	Fiamma
Imogen Poots	...	Poppy
Ellie Nunn	...	Lily
Adele McCann	...	Laurel
Zoe Carroll	...	Rosie
Clemmie Dugdale	...	Fuzzy
Sinéad Cusack	...	Miss Nieven
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vanessa Lunnon	...	Fiamma's Chaperone
Kitty McLaughlin-Dunning	...	The Small Dreg
Laurence Richardson
Gerry Shanahan	...	Coroner Timmons

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK | Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company:

Element Pictures

Perils of youth

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I saw this movie at the Toronto International Film Festival premier in September 2009. It's the story of a group of girls at a boarding school in 1934 who are connected by being part of a swim team headed by a charismatic teacher. The teacher, Miss G., is an independent, adventuresome young woman who serves as a hero and role model to her students. She's a Katherine Hepburn type, who is such an appealing character you are as disappointed as you are disgusted by her tragic weakness.

The movie got a great response from the audience and I recommend the film.

The movie is quite sexually sensual, and very deliberately so, but I don't think this movie is simply about sexual awakening, or the perils of succumbing to forbidden lust. The film takes time and care to show how many of the girls have been sent to the school by rich parents who simply don't want to deal with them. Consequently, Miss G. has not simply become a role model to the young girls, but a role model to young, neglected girls. All of this does not come into focus until the end. There are hints early that Miss G. was involved previously in something disreputable, but at the time we are led to believe that it may have only been due to her independent nature.

But everything does become clear. In a scene near the end, after the tragedy, the students read a letter from Miss G which is so devoid of remorse or culpability that you are left to wonder if she had any honourable intentions as their teacher.

The film is showing how vulnerable neglected children are to manipulation and abuse. Handled differently the movie could have been unseemly and impossible to watch, but instead it is thoroughly entertaining. For the majority of the movie we're involved in the interactions between the girl's and Miss G.'s true intentions don't become clear until the end.

An entertaining and ultimately disturbing movie.