François Ozon's latest feature is shocking because it's not the slightest bit shocking.  Anybody who has seen Criminal Lovers, a crazy cross between Badlands and Hansel & Gretel, knows Ozon can make films that are just as controversial and disturbing as Hannibal or Freddy Got Fingered.  But Under the Sand is quite a departure from Lovers – is it maturity, or the desire to build an eclectic filmography?  Who knows, but if you're expecting something similar to Ozon's previous films, you might find Sand to be a bit slow and tedious.  As long as you don't mind the lack of unsettling content, viewers should find the film to be an interesting story with a terrific lead performance.

The film opens with a scene more than a little reminiscent of With a Friend Like Harry, which was written and directed by Ozon's fellow countryman Dominik Moll.  It shows a husband and wife driving to their vacation home, but, unlike Harry, the couple is older, have no children and enjoy a quiet ride. After taking a break at a rest stop, they finally make it to their destination without uttering so much as a word to each other.  Although they travel in silence, you can clearly tell that Jean (Bruno Cremer) and Marie Drillon (Charlotte Rampling, Aberdeen) are a happily married couple that have become accustomed to each other's little quirks and routines.

Then again, things aren't always what they seem to be (just ask the guy who won the last Presidential election).  One day, while enjoying the sun and a book on a quiet beach, Jean decides to take a swim.  Several hours pass before Marie notices he hasn't returned.  She alerts lifeguards and the police, but nobody can find her husband.  Was he done in by the strong tide, or was foul play involved?  Perhaps Jean was unhappy and ran off to start a new life in a new city, or maybe he was suicidal.  With no body and no evidence, Marie and the police are unable to jump to any conclusions.

Sand then flashes forward several months, where Marie has returned to Paris and resumed her career (she teaches English literature) and her social life.  We see her at a friend's dinner party, where she fields compliments from a potential suitor named Vincent (Jacques Nolot), but notice that Marie is still referring to Jean in the present tense.  When she gets home, Jean is there, and Marie carries on as if the whole beach incident never happened, leaving more unanswered questions.  Did Jean fake his death for insurance money?  Is Marie off her nut and imagining that Jean is still alive?  Or maybe we're seeing Jean in flashbacks?  Things become more mysterious when Marie has an affair with Vincent and begins to incorporate him into the routines we previously saw her engage in with Jean.

As the truth becomes clearer and clearer, we're treated to a wonderful performance from Rampling, who, at 56, still looks amazing, and Ozon's direction doesn't let you forget it.  People who complain that there aren't any decent roles for middle-aged women need to check this film out (so do Gena Rowlands fans, who will be amazed by the resemblance of actress Alexandra Stewart, who plays Marie's friend).

1:32 –

but contains nudity, strong sexual content and adult language