The Big Bad Swim

Don't be misled by the awful DVD cover, which makes filmmaker Ishai Setton's The Big Bad Swim look like a bimbofest produced by Playboy. A festival favorite across the U.S. in 2006, this smart and appealing tale revolves around a swim class for adults afraid of the water...and lots of other stuff as well. Chief among the classmates are a schoolteacher named Amy (Paget Brewster), whose marriage is falling apart, and a casino dealer/stripper named Jordan (Jess Weixler), who—in a delightful twist on cliché—is perfectly comfortable with her work but uneasy about other aspects of her life. The newfound camaraderie between this pair eventually sucks in their swim instructor Noah (Jeff Branson), who has issues of his own. Good performances, a funny and observant script by Daniel Schechter, and director Setton's wise choice to keep this a sweet and simple movie make The Big Bad Swim an absolute treat. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a filmmaker's commentary, a cinematographer's video journal, and a gag reel. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning film.] (M. Johanson)