Cracks (film)
Encyclopedia
Cracks is an independent drama film starring Eva Green
, Juno Temple
, María Valverde
, and Imogen Poots
, which was released theatrically in the UK and Ireland on December 4, 2009. In the United States it was released by IFC Films
on March 18, 2011, and premiered on Showtime in late 2011.
The film was produced in 2008, written for the screen by Caroline Ip and Ben Court and Jordan Scott
, based on a novel written by Sheila Kohler, directed by Jordan Scott
and produced by Kwesi Dickson, Andrew Lowe
, Julie Payne
, Rosalie Swedlin and Christine Vachon
. Ridley
and Tony Scott
serve as executive producers. The film was mostly filmed in Wicklow Ireland.
When Fiamma is eventually found, the two girls make the first steps towards friendship, and at the following dorm party they all get a bit drunk, and Fiamma passes out; Miss G takes her to her own room and molests Fiamma; Di witnesses this through the room door, which was left ajar, and flees.
The next morning, Fiamma is visibly upset, Miss G equally so as she runs around after her. Di is broody, and eventually tells the rest of her gang that Fiamma seduced Miss G. Fiamma tells Miss G that she will report the molestation to the teachers, and horrified, Miss G realises her career will be over. She in turn manipulates Di's affection for her into anger. The confrontation between Di's gang and Fiamma turns ugly after Fiamma tries to explain what really happened, and as she reveals Miss G's lies and character defects. Fiamma runs into the forest as things become more violent, but the girls catch up with her and, under Di's leadership, beat her up. Fiamma starts to have an asthma attack, and the girls stop, terrified. They run to get help, and Di runs into Miss G, who declares she'll go to Fiamma, and directs Di to the teachers.
In the forest, Miss G refuses to give Fiamma her inhaler, and calmly watches her die. Di returns just in time to see Miss G placing the inhaler in Fiamma's lifeless hands, and that's when she realises the truth.
Later, Di tells the girls what happened, and united, they confront Miss G. They are powerless officially (the headmistress refuses to acknowledge the school's culpability, despite releasing Miss G from her duties), but they quit the swim team and deliver Miss G from her last role.
The final scene has Di leaving the school to explore the world, as Fiamma had always spoken of doing, whilst Miss G, fired from the school, goes to the local village and finds a small room she can live in, presumably closing herself away for the rest of her life.
, based on 47 critic reviews. On Metacritic
, the film has a score of 54 out of 100 based on 12 critic reviews.
Eva Green
Eva Gaëlle Green is a French actress and model.Green performed in theatre before making her film debut in The Dreamers , which generated controversy over her numerous nude scenes. She achieved greater fame for her parts in Kingdom of Heaven , and in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, for...
, Juno Temple
Juno Temple
-Early life:Juno Temple was born in London, and is the daughter of producer Amanda Pirie and film director Julien Temple. She grew up in Somerset, England and attended Enmore Primary School, Bedales School, and King's College, Taunton...
, María Valverde
María Valverde
María Valverde Rodríguez is a Spanish actress.She was born María Valverde Rodriguez in Carabanchel, Madrid. She was 16 when she got a leading role with Luis Tosar in a Manuel Martín Cuenca movie, La flaqueza del bolchevique, she won the 2003 Goya Award for this role.She has also taken part in...
, and Imogen Poots
Imogen Poots
Imogen Gay Poots is an English actress, best known for playing Tammy in the 2007 film 28 Weeks Later, Prue Sorenson in the 2010 remake of the controversial TV drama Bouquet of Barbed Wire and as Jean Ross in the BBC's Christopher and His Kind.-Early life:Poots was born in Hammersmith, London,...
, which was released theatrically in the UK and Ireland on December 4, 2009. In the United States it was released by IFC Films
IFC Films
IFC Films is an American film distribution company based in New York, owned by AMC Networks. It distributes independent films and documentaries under the IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight. It operates the IFC Center....
on March 18, 2011, and premiered on Showtime in late 2011.
The film was produced in 2008, written for the screen by Caroline Ip and Ben Court and Jordan Scott
Jordan Scott
Jordan Scott is a British photographer, filmmaker and actress. She is the daughter of director Ridley Scott and advertising executive Sandy Watson. She is the niece of director Tony Scott and half-sister of directors Luke and Jake Scott....
, based on a novel written by Sheila Kohler, directed by Jordan Scott
Jordan Scott
Jordan Scott is a British photographer, filmmaker and actress. She is the daughter of director Ridley Scott and advertising executive Sandy Watson. She is the niece of director Tony Scott and half-sister of directors Luke and Jake Scott....
and produced by Kwesi Dickson, Andrew Lowe
Andrew Lowe
Andrew Lowe is a Canadian geophysicist and amateur astronomer. He has discovered a number of asteroids.With the discovery of the asteroid 2010 AX2 on January 7, 2010, he became one of only six individual observers worldwide with discoveries spanning five or more consecutive decades...
, Julie Payne
Julie Payne
Julie Payne may refer to:*Julie Payne , American actress whose career lasted from 1959 to 1967...
, Rosalie Swedlin and Christine Vachon
Christine Vachon
Christine Vachon is an American film producer active in the American independent film sector and daughter of noted photographer John Vachon....
. Ridley
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
and Tony Scott
Tony Scott
Anthony D. L. "Tony" Scott is an English film director. His films include Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Last Boy Scout, True Romance, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Spy Game, Man on Fire, Déjà Vu, The Taking of Pelham 123, and Unstoppable...
serve as executive producers. The film was mostly filmed in Wicklow Ireland.
Plot
Set in a strict elite boarding school in the 1930s, the story centers on a clique of girls who idolize their enigmatic swimming instructor, Miss G (Green). When a beautiful Spanish girl named Fiamma Coronna (Valverde) arrives at the school, Miss G's focus is shifted away from the other girls. Di Radfield (Temple) has a crush on Miss G, and is the firm favourite and ringleader of her group. It becomes a triangle: Miss G gets increasingly obsessed with Fiamma, Fiamma is disturbed by Miss G and also openly disgusted by the teacher's hypocrisies and deceptions, and Di is terribly jealous and makes Fiamma's life hell. The bullying culminates in Di physically throwing Fiamma out of the school.When Fiamma is eventually found, the two girls make the first steps towards friendship, and at the following dorm party they all get a bit drunk, and Fiamma passes out; Miss G takes her to her own room and molests Fiamma; Di witnesses this through the room door, which was left ajar, and flees.
The next morning, Fiamma is visibly upset, Miss G equally so as she runs around after her. Di is broody, and eventually tells the rest of her gang that Fiamma seduced Miss G. Fiamma tells Miss G that she will report the molestation to the teachers, and horrified, Miss G realises her career will be over. She in turn manipulates Di's affection for her into anger. The confrontation between Di's gang and Fiamma turns ugly after Fiamma tries to explain what really happened, and as she reveals Miss G's lies and character defects. Fiamma runs into the forest as things become more violent, but the girls catch up with her and, under Di's leadership, beat her up. Fiamma starts to have an asthma attack, and the girls stop, terrified. They run to get help, and Di runs into Miss G, who declares she'll go to Fiamma, and directs Di to the teachers.
In the forest, Miss G refuses to give Fiamma her inhaler, and calmly watches her die. Di returns just in time to see Miss G placing the inhaler in Fiamma's lifeless hands, and that's when she realises the truth.
Later, Di tells the girls what happened, and united, they confront Miss G. They are powerless officially (the headmistress refuses to acknowledge the school's culpability, despite releasing Miss G from her duties), but they quit the swim team and deliver Miss G from her last role.
The final scene has Di leaving the school to explore the world, as Fiamma had always spoken of doing, whilst Miss G, fired from the school, goes to the local village and finds a small room she can live in, presumably closing herself away for the rest of her life.
Cast
- Eva GreenEva GreenEva Gaëlle Green is a French actress and model.Green performed in theatre before making her film debut in The Dreamers , which generated controversy over her numerous nude scenes. She achieved greater fame for her parts in Kingdom of Heaven , and in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, for...
as Miss G - Juno TempleJuno Temple-Early life:Juno Temple was born in London, and is the daughter of producer Amanda Pirie and film director Julien Temple. She grew up in Somerset, England and attended Enmore Primary School, Bedales School, and King's College, Taunton...
as Di Radfield - Maria ValverdeMaría ValverdeMaría Valverde Rodríguez is a Spanish actress.She was born María Valverde Rodriguez in Carabanchel, Madrid. She was 16 when she got a leading role with Luis Tosar in a Manuel Martín Cuenca movie, La flaqueza del bolchevique, she won the 2003 Goya Award for this role.She has also taken part in...
as Fiamma Coronna - Imogen PootsImogen PootsImogen Gay Poots is an English actress, best known for playing Tammy in the 2007 film 28 Weeks Later, Prue Sorenson in the 2010 remake of the controversial TV drama Bouquet of Barbed Wire and as Jean Ross in the BBC's Christopher and His Kind.-Early life:Poots was born in Hammersmith, London,...
as Poppy - Ellie Nunn as Lily
- Adele McCann as Laurel
- Zoe Carroll as Rosie
- Clemmie Dugdale as Fuzzy
- Sinéad CusackSinéad CusackSinéad Moira Cusack is an Irish stage, television and film actress. She has received two Tony Award nominations: once for Best Leading Actress in Much Ado About Nothing , and again for Best Featured Actress in Rock 'n' Roll .-Background:...
Miss Nieven - Deirdre DonnellyDeirdre DonnellyDeirdre Donnelly is an Irish actress who has worked in theatre, television, films and radio. A former company-member of Ireland's National Theatre, the Abbey Theatre, she has played leading roles in innumerable theatre productions in Ireland. She regularly appears on Irish television and was a...
Miss Lacey
Reception
Cracks received a mixed reception from critics. It has a score of 43% on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, based on 47 critic reviews. On Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, the film has a score of 54 out of 100 based on 12 critic reviews.
See also
- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
- Notes on a ScandalNotes on a ScandalNotes on a Scandal is a 2003 drama novel by Zoë Heller. It is about a female teacher at a London comprehensive school who begins an affair with an underage pupil...