Maelstrom poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Marie-Josée Croze, Stephanie Morgenstern, Pierre Lebeau, Marc Gelinas, Marie-France Lambert ... see more see more... , Sylvie Moreau , Clermont Jolicoeur , Jean-Nicolas Verreault , Bobby Beshro , John Dunn-Hill , Klimbo , Virginie Dubois , Marie Josee Croze , Jean-Nicholas Verreault

Love, death, and fish all mingle in this offbeat comedy-drama from award-winning Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. Bibiane Champagne (Marie-Josee Croze) is the daughter of a well-known fashion desi... read more read more...gner who dabbles in modeling when she's not busy helping to run the family business with her brother Phillippe (Bobby Beshro). But Bibiane has not been especially happy in her work lately, owing in part to an unexpected pregnancy that led her to have an abortion. Bibiane tries drowning her sorrows in alcohol and drugs, and late one night, after several drinks too many, she hits a jaywalker while driving home. The pedestrian staggers away after the accident, and the next morning, Bibiane remembers what happened and is frightened at the prospect that she may have killed someone. When Bibiane reads a newspaper account the next day of a seafood delivery man who died in his kitchen after being struck by a hit-and-run driver, she's convinced she was responsible for the crime. Guiltily attending the man's funeral, Bibiane strikes up a conversation with his son, Evian (Jean-Nicholas Verreault), and soon the two have become romantically involved, with Bibiane unable to tell Evian her secret. Maelstrom was shown in competition at both the Montreal World Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival in 2000. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

81% liked it

1,816 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

35 critics

R, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Denis Villeneuve

Release Date: September 15, 2000

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: April 8, 2003

Stats: 105 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

None yet... Got one?

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (105)

  • 366weirdmovies
    May 8, 2011
    366weirdmovies
    A young woman's life unravels when she has an abortion, then a few days later hits a pedestrian with her car and flees in a panic. MAELSTROM is not for anyone seeking a traditional narrative: it's an arty, surrealistic, impressionistic portrait of guilt, narrated by a fish telli... read moreng the story with his last breath as he waits to be gutted and turned into seafood.
  • Parannoyed
    January 2, 2008
    Parannoyed
    Maelström is the brilliantly told story of a young woman dealing with the chaos that ensues from the hit-and-run she committs.
    I especially enjoyed how it was sometimes shot at different angles with the camera shakiness on top of that to give it a touch of confusion.
    Like the ... read moresnowball effect, each event of the film brings about another and so on. It seems everything has a meaning and everything is linked to something else, somehow.

    I also liked the idea of a fish on the brink of death (about to be slaughtered actually) telling the story. It was quirky yet added a tinge of originality.
    Marie-Josée Croze was, as always, superb. As for Jean-Nicolas Verreault, I thought he was overshadowed by Croze and should've had more screen time. He's an okay actor anyhow!

    I suggest you rent this when you feel like watching drama, art house, foreign, international, what have you. Otherwise you might not appreciate this as much as you should.
  • KLFilmmaker
    October 18, 2006
    KLFilmmaker
    I should see this again. Wasn't a big fan the first time.

View All Maelstrom Reviews

Critic Reviews

Michael Wilmington
August 1, 2002
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

Strange it is, but delightfully so. Full Review

Philip Wuntch
June 6, 2002
Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News

Darkly funny and frequently insightful. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
May 10, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

An original little film about one young woman's education. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
April 5, 2002
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

This is a nervy, risky film, and Villeneuve has inspired Croze to give herself over completely to the tormented persona of Bibi. Full Review

Desson Thomson
March 22, 2002
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Sensual, funny and, in the end, very touching.

Ann Hornaday
March 22, 2002
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

Observant intelligence constantly vies with pretension -- and sometimes plain wacky implausibility -- throughout Maelstrom.

Andrew Sarris
March 13, 2002
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

[Villeneuve] seems to realize intuitively that even morality is reduced to an option by the ultimate mysteries of life and death. Full Review

Gene Seymour
January 25, 2002
Gene Seymour, Newsday

By turns fanciful, grisly and engagingly quixotic. Full Review

Lou Lumenick
January 25, 2002
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

Not for all tastes. But I, for one, was hooked by this fish's tale.

Stephen Holden
January 24, 2002
Stephen Holden, New York Times

Maelstrom is a deliberately unsteady mixture of stylistic elements. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

This list looks lonely.
Add a suggestion!

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Maelstrom : Watch Free on TV

Maelstrom Trivia

  • Complete this quote from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: "I'll chase him 'round the moons of Nibia, and 'round the ________ maelstrom, and 'round perdition's flames before I give him up!"  Answer »
  • Paraphrasing Moby Dick, what quote is this film from? "He tasks me! He tasks me, and I shall have him! I'll chase him round the Moons of Nibia, and round the Antares Maelstrom and round perdition's flames before I give him up!"  Answer »
More Maelstrom Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Maelstrom. Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Maelstrom to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?