Drowning by Numbers

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John H Drowning by Numbers is a film I first came across in the mid 90’s some time after its original release. To review it depends an awful lot on where you are in your life at the time you watch it. I saw it as an impressionable teenage youth with many questions in my mind, a lack of direction and a voyage of sexual discovery in front of me. This macabre comedy soaked in atmospheric mystery charmed me, despite having a very clear structure. What was its purpose? What was the message? Was it complex or simple? Was there a deep and… ok you get the point of teenage angst and self discovery.. but why..? The answer is probably more simple some 30 years later… it’s very well produced, simplistic in its approach, but creative and complex enough to stimulate the viewers’ application to their own life, whichever stage of life you are at. It doesn’t hit the same now and nor would I expect it to but am I glad I watched it then..? Yes! Would I watch it again now..? Yes! Would I watch it again in another 30 years should I be here..? Yes! The rhythm of the piece works for me and the message changes with life and it’s brilliantly acted, so if you can’t appreciate it on any other level then… So, should you watch it? Yes! Should you give up after 20 mins if you’re not ‘getting’ it? Also yes! Hopefully if you watch it, that statement makes sense and hopefully you ‘get’ it. A cult piece of film making that deserves a chance in everyone’s film list. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/25/25 Full Review Leo P Insects, wandering sheep, fireworks, and bizarre games take center stage in this feast of stunning images. Greenaway re-creates still lives, portraits, and landscapes of classical artists by taking us into a dream of women frustrated with men in such a degree that they start,with impunity, to knock them off one after another. Unique masterpiece that has inspired many others. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/17/25 Full Review Alain E The first time I saw it when it came out I thought it was “interesting “. Today I find it unviewable. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/24/25 Full Review Piotr C One of my favorite films, ever. Cool! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/12/24 Full Review William L "In loving memory of an unemployed non-swimmer." I've never seen a movie that completely predates Wes Anderson that looks so much like a Wes Anderson film. The careful composition with an emphasis on central framing, the eccentric characters, the vibrant costume choices, the fanciful details (including a series of largely invented children's games often explained in comprehensive detail) and the offbeat storyline. Furthermore, Greenaway adds in an unusual device to establish structure, beyond a repetitive plot - hiding the numbers one to one hundred in consecutive order throughout the film, from casual conversation to odd, nearly third-wall-breaking prop choices. The director was doing something genuinely different than his contemporaries, and most importantly his design choices (while very original) don't come across as if they were added simply to give the film a hook for audiences to latch on to; if the indie films to come in subsequent decades were "not like the other girls", then Drowning By Numbers is a black comedy that isn't focused on image or pretension in the slightest. Anchored by a feminist message, Drowning by Numbers is really most memorable for its pure delightful quirkiness, both in script and visual design. There are pieces of pure surrealism that make little sense in the context of the story and are never really given much in the way of an explanation, but you just gradually grow to accept as a component of Greenaway's distinctive style. (4/5) Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/19/21 Full Review Audience Member exceptionel movie..... Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Drowning by Numbers

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