Maelström
Movie, 2000, The 2000s, Set in Montreal
Maelström is #2 of 11 in release order and #2 of 11 in chronological order in the Denis Villeneuve.
The story
A young woman's life spirals into chaos after she is involved in a hit-and-run accident. Then she encounters a mysterious man named Evian who offers her an opportunity for redemption. Narrated by a fish.
Maelström recap
Maelstrom (2000) follows Bibiane Champagne, a 25-year-old Montreal boutique owner who kills a man in a hit-and-run and then falls in love with his son. Denis Villeneuve wrote and directed it, and the story is narrated by a large talking fish as a fishmonger chops it up. Marie-Josee Croze plays Bibiane, who has just had an abortion, is losing control of the clothing stores she runs with her brother Philippe, and drinks and uses drugs, leaning on her friend Claire. Driving home one night, she hits Annstein Karson, a Norwegian fishmonger, and drives off; he staggers home and dies at his kitchen table. Bibiane reads about the death, thinks about confessing, and instead drives her car into the river to destroy the evidence, surviving. His son Evian (Jean-Nicolas Verreault), a diver, comes home to find his father cremated against his wishes. Bibiane meets him by chance and, posing as a neighbor, helps him sort through his father's things. It is Villeneuve's second feature, after August 32nd on Earth, and the last before a nine-year gap that ended with Polytechnique.
Maelström ending explained
Maelstrom ends with Bibiane and Evian together on the Lofoten Islands in Norway, scattering his father's ashes. Evian has skipped a flight to stay with her, and the plane crashes with no survivors. Bibiane then tells him she killed his father. A stranger in a bar, the same man who advised her on the subway, tells him to marry her and never tell anyone. The fish narrator is about to reveal the meaning of life when the fishmonger kills him mid-sentence.
Where to watch Maelström
Maelström is streaming on Philo, Kanopy, Cineverse, and myfilmfriend in the US.
Ratings
IMDb 6.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes 79%
Where it fits
- Release order: after August 32nd on Earth, before Polytechnique.
- Chronological order: after August 32nd on Earth, before Polytechnique.
Cast
- Marie-Josée Croze as Bibiane Champagne
- Jean-Nicolas Verreault as Evian
- Stephanie Morgenstern as Claire Gunderson
- Pierre Lebeau as The Fish (voice)
- Kliment Denchev as Head-Annstein Karlsen
- John Dunn-Hill as Fishmonger
- Bobby Beshro as Philippe Champagne
- Marie-France Lambert as Marie-Jeanne Sirois
- Luis Oliva as Fishmonger's Employee
- Robin Aubert as Gas Station Clerk
- Sylvie Moreau as Photographer
- Khanh Hua as Vietnamese Restaurant Owner
Directed by Denis Villeneuve.