Joan Plowright

Juliet Stevenson

Joely Richardson

Bernard Hill

Jason Edwards

Bryan Pringle

Trevor Cooper

David Morrissey

John Rogan

Paul Mooney

Jane Gurnett

Kenny Ireland

Michael Percival

Joanna Dickens

Janine Duvitski

Michael Fitzgerald

Edward Tudor-Pole

Natalie Morse

Arthur Spreckley

Ian Talbot

Roderic Leigh

Vanni Corbellini

Jose Berg

Peter Jaques

Peter Greenaway

Allard Bekker

Chris Wyatt

Garth Marshall

Sara Meerman

Constance de Vos

Trevor Holland

Sacha Vierny

Dien van Straalen

Jan Roelfs

Kees Kasander

Michael Nyman

John Wilson

Sharon Howard-Field

Ben van Os

Denis Wigman

Evelien Jansen

Comedy

Crime

Drowning by Numbers

Stimuleringsfonds Nederlandse Culturele Omroepproducties

Elsevier-Vendex Film Beheer

Allarts Production

Film4 Productions

VPRO

Netherlands

United Kingdom

CinemaSerf

I actually found this to be one of Peter Greenaway's more accessible films. Though it's still riddled with some surreal imagery that made little, if any, sense to me, it is quite an effective and funny look at the institution of marriage. Now the Colpitts family can't really be accused of having much imagination when it comes to naming their offspring. "Cissie" (Joan Plowright) has "Cissie" (Juliet Stephenson) who has "Cissie (Joely Richardson) and none of these women make matches that they want to endure. There's plenty of philandering going on, so - well use the title as a clue as to just what happens now... This is a strongly characterised drama with three women very much at the top of their game, ably supported by Bernard Hill's rather eccentric "Madgett", that interweaves an intricate serious of - ok, not always the most plausible - sub-plots into a story that's ultimately a revenge comedy. It's a bit on the long side, and it does sag slightly when - I felt, anyway - there is less Plowright on the screen but the dialogue is quickly and pithily delivered, there is loads of rather natural nudity to lend authenticity to the earthiness of the topic and we are left with a powerful assassination of the marriage state and a clear illustration that there are more ways than one to skin a cat (and get away with it!). Michael Nyman has scored this jauntily and together with Sacha Vierny's eclectic style of cinematography, makes this film fun to watch with some deadly undercurrents.

English

Trailer