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Under the Sand

Play trailer Poster for Under the Sand Released May 4, 2000 1h 36m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 74 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
For many years, Marie and Jean have happily spent their vacation together in the Landes region of western France. But this summer, while Marie naps on the beach, her husband goes swimming and vanishes without a trace. Tenaciously and disquietingly, Marie keeps the memory of her husband alive, often speaking of him as if he never disappeared. An offbeat study of the grieving process that will ring true for anyone who has gone through a similar personal loss.
Under the Sand

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Critics Consensus

Rampling carries the film with her finely nuanced performance of a woman coping with her husband's death.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Howell Toronto Star Under The Sand lifts the phantom-spouse syndrome to the level of art, yet another dimension for this popular form. Rated: 3/4 Mar 1, 2002 Full Review Rick Groen Globe and Mail ... this picture demands (and rewards) close study ... Rated: 3/4 Mar 1, 2002 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Rated: 3/4 Aug 31, 2001 Full Review Dan DiNicola The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY) One of the most involving psychological mysteries in recent memory. Rated: A Apr 30, 2024 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia This Ozon movie doesn't make me cold or hot, but I do distinguish Charlotte Rampling's solid performance. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 6/10 Jul 20, 2020 Full Review PJ Nabarro Patrick Nabarro François Ozon finds exactly the right tone for telling the story, particularly in a subtly atmospheric opening stretch - played out elliptically, almost like a silent movie. Rated: 4/5 Mar 16, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dave S It’s a shame that more people aren’t aware of the movies of French filmmaker Francois Ozon. For those who aren’t familiar, a good starting point would be Under the Sand. It is the story of Marie (Charlotte Rampling), a woman whose husband disappears, presumably drowned, while on a summer vacation. Unable to cope with his absence, she continues her life in a state of denial, despite the overwhelming evidence that her partner will not be returning. It is a haunting and unsettling film about loss and the enduring power of relationships, buoyed by one of Rampling’s best performances and a script that is both insightful and original. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/21/24 Full Review isla s This is a somewhat unsettling film. Its quite subtle in its delivery and it features a good, solid performance from Charlotte Rampling as Marie Drillon. Its one of those films in which its what isn't said, rather than what is, that perhaps tells you more about the main characters thoughts/emotions. Its a good watch with a fairly moving ending and so I'd recommend this film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘥 is a by then 34-year old director and screenwriter François Ozon. Ozon had proven himself within a fairly short time to be more than capable at both disciplines. He knows the great range of emotion, the depth of expression that can be gleaned merely by the eyes, the face, our movements- from subtle to jarring. There is so much that can be perceived without dialogue, and lead actress Charlotte Rampling is a master at this aspect of her craft. Rampling dominates the film with a performance of such subtlety, telling us where her mind is in her struggle for acceptance vs. very real denial. This performance, I'm guessing, was seen by Andrea Pallaoro or someone involved in the 2018 film 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢𝘩 where Rampling again plays a character whose mind is partitioned into reality and denial. 3.7 stars Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Audience Member A very good film. I would have given it five stars but for one technical error (reflection of boom operator seen in bookcase door) and an answerphone message months after her husband's disappearance that a body fitting his description had been found in the sea. I can't think of any civilised country which would leave such a traumatic message on an answerphone. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member A near masterpiece. Where has the early François Ozon gone??!? Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A middle-aged lady's husband disappears in the surf. Is he dead? Or fled? Some fool critic cited on the DVD box claims this is like a Hitchcock suspense film. NOT! Rampling's annoyingly flat performance costs her my empathy to the point I just wanted it to be over. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Under the Sand

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Movie Info

Synopsis For many years, Marie and Jean have happily spent their vacation together in the Landes region of western France. But this summer, while Marie naps on the beach, her husband goes swimming and vanishes without a trace. Tenaciously and disquietingly, Marie keeps the memory of her husband alive, often speaking of him as if he never disappeared. An offbeat study of the grieving process that will ring true for anyone who has gone through a similar personal loss.
Director
François Ozon
Producer
Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier
Screenwriter
Emmanuèle Bernheim, François Ozon, Marina de Van, Marcia Romano
Distributor
Winstar Cinema
Production Co
Sony Pictures Classics
Genre
Drama
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
May 4, 2000, Wide
Release Date (DVD)
Dec 11, 2001
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.5M
Runtime
1h 36m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)