One of cinema’s most artfully constructed puzzles, by turns a serene
and terrifying patchwork of images and portents building to a climax
which, in spite of its shocking randomness, seems inescapable.
Sutherland and Christie are superbly under-stated as the bereaved
couple trying to cope with the drowning of their daughter, by immersing
themselves – perhaps ill-advisedly – in a city of canals. They can’t
seem to get away from the lingering trauma of the event, which merges
supernaturally with intimations of future disaster. Elliptical and
unforgettable, it’s a defining filmic treatment of both Venice and
marital love.
