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Poster for Head Above Water

Head Above Water

Murder just became a water sport.

1996 · 1h 32m · PG-13 Comedy, Thriller
Directed by Jim Wilson

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Overview

Judge George brings his young wife, Nathalie, to a remote island for a vacation. But while George accompanies their only neighbor -- Nathalie's childhood friend Lance -- on a fishing trip, Nathalie spends time with her ex, Kent. When Kent ends up dead the next morning, Nathalie tries to hide the evidence before her husband gets home. After the body is found, the events of the previous night unravel, with unexpected revelations.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
Rotten

Diaz is largely performing in a vacuum: Keitel, unbelievable for starters as a middle-aged judge, seems unsure at which pitch to play the largely physical comedy, and Sheffer, as the best friend, is fairly vanilla.

Derek Elley, Variety
Rotten

Diaz, clad mostly in a one-piece yellow swimsuit, is left floundering in the shallows of a script which relies on ludicrous human behaviour and mechanical plot twists, the latter signposted by an over-emphatic score.

Nigel Floyd, Time Out
Rotten

One moment, ''Head Above Water'' plays like a clanking melodrama, the next like a gallows comedy of corrupt yuppie manners.

Stephen Holden, New York Times
Rotten

If you have to spend time with a corpse at the beach, this is better than "Weekend at Bernie's." But it's a near thing.

Jack Mathews, Los Angeles Times

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