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Swimming to Cambodia

Play trailer Poster for Swimming to Cambodia 1987 1h 23m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Actor, performance artist and playwright Spalding Gray here adapts his successful one-man show for the big screen. Seated behind a desk with little more than a map as a prop, Gray focuses on a small role he had in the 1984 film "The Killing Fields." Discussing life on the set of that film, which follows a photojournalist in Cambodia covering the violent reign of the Khmer Rouge, Gray spins personal memories into a larger story about political unrest and turmoil in Southeast Asia.

Critics Reviews

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Peter Keough Chicago Reader The rendering of nightmare as black comedy is a peculiarly American art form, and Gray at times achieves the mastery of artists like Mark Twain, William Burroughs, and Hunter Thompson. Rated: 3/4 May 9, 2022 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Like a good preacher, some of [Gray's] power comes from the sheer virtuosity of his speech. Rated: 3/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Cathy Burke United Press International It is both drama at its most entertaining -- and an enlightening peronal lesson in the history of America's involvement in Cambodia during the Vietnam era. Nov 8, 2016 Full Review Adam Lippe Examiner.com Gray is never too far from reminding you of your own self-indulgence, and that he also knows how he sounds. Aug 29, 2012 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews A spellbinding witty rant. Rated: A- Jul 16, 2008 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Gray pulls together genocide, pleasure-seeking, military paranoia, filmmaking, and even an anecdote about rude neighbors to paint a coherent portrait of aggression. Rated: A May 27, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member The greatest 01 hour: and 23 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review steve d Plays too much like a steam of consciousness for me. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member A perfect combination of a documentary style, motion picture cinematography, and a radio play like script. It's wildly funny, continually insightful, and educational subjectively and stylistically. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member A fantastic monologue that was unfortunately shortened for this film. Demme can't pick if he wants this to be a performance piece with Gray acting BIG and subtle sets or more realistic depiction with no backgrounds and audience reactions. Still, since it's Spalding Gray, it's HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member This put me to sleep - couldn't get all the way through it. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Spalding Gray was a astonishingly brilliant individual. I had the privilege of seeing him live. He was electric, provocative and honest. Demme's film captures Gray's intelligence and humor perfectly. It's creepy and uncanny that he'd eventually die from a possible suicide while swimming. I suppose he did say he felt most alive in the ocean. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Swimming to Cambodia

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Swimming to Cambodia

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Movie Info

Synopsis Actor, performance artist and playwright Spalding Gray here adapts his successful one-man show for the big screen. Seated behind a desk with little more than a map as a prop, Gray focuses on a small role he had in the 1984 film "The Killing Fields." Discussing life on the set of that film, which follows a photojournalist in Cambodia covering the violent reign of the Khmer Rouge, Gray spins personal memories into a larger story about political unrest and turmoil in Southeast Asia.
Director
Jonathan Demme
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Jun 18, 2002
Runtime
1h 23m