In one of the supplementary features on the new Blu-Ray release of The Midnight Swim, writer/director Sarah Adina Smith comments on the aesthetic choice of her feature directorial debut. In the film, June (Lindsay Burdge) is one of a trio of half-sisters who are returning to their childhood home to settle the affairs of their late mother. The circumstances surrounding the matriarch’s death are a tad suspicious, as the fervent environmentalist was an experienced diver who went diving alone and whose body was never recovered. June acts as the fragile observer to the emotionally overwhelming trip back to the past, stoically capturing the experience via video camera which results in something of a “found footage” film for the audience.
Yet, Smith wonders aloud if the camera ever even recorded anything, or if it was just an easy emotional barrier for this enigmatic, troubled soul. The more we learn about his mostly-hidden character, the more likely this would appear. She is processing the world the only way she knows how, and the audience is in turn given access to her unique, subjective view of the world that adds more to the story than any expository dialogue.
From the opening car ride with the three sisters heading to settle affairs, you are greeted to an immediately believable familial dynamic. Smith built the framework of the narrative, but in large part the dialogue was improvised by these three performers who grew closer themselves during this close-knit production. This free-flowing style allows for subtle jokes and micro-irritations that scripted dialogue can often either overlook or render quite clunky. The closer these three get to their old house, the more they begin to slip into engrained sibling dynamics. June is already walled off somewhat by her camera, and her penchant for embracing the comfort of childhood can become a strain on her tenuous mental health. Annie (Jennifer Lafleur) takes on the responsible maternal role while Isa (Aleksa Palladino) is allowed to dream of the fantastical and spiritual. The personalities clash at times, but the underlying love is ever-present.
The best bits of the movie are the ones that most thoroughly examine the bonds between sisters and all of the complexities within that dynamic. While there is always a sliding scale of severity, siblings typically have a traumatic bond that outsiders can never truly understand. The mother (portrayed by the one-and-only Beth Grant) of these women is only understood through VHS recordings and small notes here and there. It is apparent that this woman was less interested in being a proper mother and more drawn to treating each daughter as somewhat of a sociological experiment in nature vs. nurture. There are tears shed over this, but there are also joyous moments such as a group sing-and-dance-along that show all is not bleak in this family.
Where the film does not quite come together is in the subtle supernatural elements. Lore of the “Seven Sisters” is introduced early into the film which may or may not have some mystical connection to their mother’s disappearance. It is said that no one has ever reached the bottom of the lake, and the more stories they gather about the area, the weirder things become. It is here that Smith makes things almost too subtle to be effective. Moments that seem to go for an unsettling tone lack the shiver-inducing spirit necessary to make it completely effective. The free-flowing nature of the presentation successfully bolsters the domestic elements, but the grander ideas feel a bit too malleable without a more firm focus.
The basic symbolism of the movie equating water to rebirth pays off by the time the credits have finished rolling, but there are different smaller elements that feel unfulfilled when judging the movie as a whole. Smith does a really stellar job of crafting a technically impressive debut out of a constrained budget. She gets to the core of what makes a sibling dynamic so special, but the narrative itself is a bit too opaque and those coming to this story strictly for the genre elements will be sorely disappointed. Still, as a domestic drama, this is one of the more satisfying depictions of a complicated sisterly bond that has been seen on screen in some years.
Video Quality
The Midnight Swim comes to Blu-Ray with a fairly solid 1080p video presentation after previously being available in a limited-run barebones Blu-Ray in 2015. The basic master is quite fetching but the file size and encoding could be afforded more room. The presentation provides a pleasing amount of depth on display, especially in the interior shots. The production design along with the fabrics of clothing provide crystal clear textural details. The image is clean with the nuanced color palette popping off the screen. The film employs nice splashes of bold colors when the splendor of nature is featured, which makes for a very striking image. The black levels lack a bit of depth and show signs of crush and banding in certain shots. There are also compression artifacts present at points. The flesh tones are natural with a magnificent amount of detail present in close-ups. It would have been preferable for this to have more room to breathe, but this Blu-Ray is an enjoyable representation of this movie.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray oddly goes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 lossy audio track instead of a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track, which is a bit of a shame considering there is such a precise sound design to this reserved film. There is very little in the way of hard-hitting moments, but the environmental sounds of the world engage the surround speakers in an effective way. When the characters are roaming from room to room, there are some intriguing ambient details that flesh out the setting. Dialogue is the driving force of the film, and it always comes through clearly without being clipped by any competing sounds. The music in the film is well-balanced and maintains its fidelity. Certain sound effects engage the low end of the track in a way that provides some nice texture to the proceedings. The audio track gets the job done, but it potentially could have been a bit more nuanced with a full lossless track.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Writer/director Sarah Adina Smith and actors Lindsay Burdge, Aleksa Palladino, Jennifer Lafleur, and Ross Partridge deliver a very amiable and informative commentary track in which they relay their experience during production, discuss their bonding on set, reveal who provided the dead birds, delve into the deeper thoughts behind the film and more. This group uses this as an opportunity to catch up as real-life friends which allows you some insight into their dynamic and process at large.
- The Three Sisters: A new 28-minute interview with writer/director Sarah Adina Smith in which she discusses what brought her to this story while delving deep into the characteristics of each character. In this conversation, Smith talks about the reluctance to make a “found footage” movie, the low budget nature of the production, what the film means to her and more. This is an excellent piece which aids in your appreciation for what is accomplished.
- The Phoenix and The Turtle (Short Film): A two-and-a-half minute short film presented in standard definition with some inventive visuals.
- The Sirens (Short Film): A 12-minute short film presented in HD concerning two sisters who take their dying sister to a peaceful lakeside compound to ease her pain.
- Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here.
- Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring essays from Justine Smith and Nicole Cliffe is provided here. Not only do these pieces give a well-rounded analysis of the themes of the film, but it highlights the superior aspects of the individual elements of the production.
Final Thoughts
The Midnight Swim is a pretty involving domestic drama which portrays the complexities of sibling dynamics in a deeply nuanced manner. The supernatural elements do not completely satisfy, but the ending is strong enough to allay any minor quibbles. Sarah Adina Smith shows immense talent from the start, and those who are new to her work will likely be inspired to seek out what she has unleashed since. Yellow Veil Pictures and Vinegar Syndrome have released a Blu-Ray featuring a decent A/V presentation and a great assortment of special features. Hopefully this new release will provide a lengthy second life for this one. Recommended
The Midnight Swim is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Yellow Veil Pictures and Vinegar Syndrome have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
