PLOT: This is a tale of true love against adversity set in a lido. Andre (Denis Lavant) is the devoted younger son of a once proud line of bath attendants. He cares for his overbearing blind and elderly father who keeps him a veritable prisoner in the baths denying him the freedom of shoes in which he could explore the outside world. The heart of the baths and joy of his father's heart is the gleaming brass IMPERIAL steam engine; it heats the waters, runs the filters and keeps the water levels up. Andre dreams of sailing the high seas far from the baths and far from his father. Then one day the beautiful and impoverished Eva (Chulpan Khamatova), fleeing the destruction of her home, enters his life sharing his desire for escape and gives his dreams a destination - Tuvalu Island. But, by a cruel twist of fate, Eva's beloved, overbearing and elderly father (different guy) is struck by falling masonry whilst in the pool and dies! This is the chance Andre's greedy, older brother and property developer to condemn the baths and sell the land. Will our brave hero save the baths with his band of merry homeless degenerates? Will he win the heart of the beautiful, desperate Eva and escape to Tuvalu Island? Can he save his father's beloved IMPERIAL engine?

Andre and his father with the IMPERIAL engine

YOUR RATING: You have got to be kidding! This is easily the MOST SURREAL and bizarre film ever. And that's what makes it funny, just the sheer OTT nature of the story. There is not a lot I can say that can accurately explain the experience. The action is based solely on physical comedy, the surroundings and a VERY odd assortment of swimming bath patrons, homeless drunks living under the pool, bleak landscape and the constant rain.

You won't know what hit you - I still don't! A must see!

Eva and her father seek refuge in the swimming baths

STYLE: Filmed in almost colour. Not techno-colour, but what I like to call techno-buff, techno-blue, techno-green, red and orange. A strange mix of colour washes over very subtly coloured scenery and objects. The swimming bath house itself is in such a state of near collapse you wonder how safe it was for filming. You wonder what is real and what is set and where they found the real bits!

Andre's evil brother condems the showers

EYE CANDY: Eva (Chulpan Khamatova) is delightful, the situation comedy has it's moments - but the bathhouse steals the show!

Eva comforts Andre as his world passes

LANGUAGE: The cast is international and each speaks in their own language. As there are hardly more than two dozen words spoken, it doesn't matter what language they speak in - everyone will (or as this movie is such a weird ride, wont) understand!


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