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I just saw this film (the unrated version) and thought it was really good. It's definitely in my top 15 and might even make my top 10 after I see a few films again.
The interesting comparison I saw was between this film and "Idenity." Both films essentially take place within the protagonist's heads, and both end with rather startling twists at the end. Of course, while "Identity" took place in the head of a deranged serial killer (and had the Timmy twist that some absolutely hated), "Swimming Pool" took place in the head of an austere British detecive story novelist (and has, basically, the opposite twist).
Actually, this film is most closely similar to the excellent "Croupier," in that we are essentially watching an author's novel unfold as if it is actually occuring. "Swimming Pool," however, may actually top "Croupier" in that the film actually plants the seeds for 2 novels -- the Dorwell detective novel with Julie as a killer, and the more personal novel created by the fictional Julie's mother.
I guess that the proper place to start is the acting. Both Rampling & Sagnier are excellent at creating nuanced characters that are forced to shift several gears as the film unfolds. Obviously, Sagnier's many nude scenes are nice, but Rampling's boldness in matching them were very brave as well. Charles Dance does well in his few scenes as Rampling's publisher, and Jean-Marie Lamour is excellent as Franck, who actually has to go through a lot of paces as well.
As noted before, the screenplay by François Ozon & Emmanuèle Bernheim unfolds brilliantly, and Ozon's direction is crisp and bold (I guess I will now have to catch up with "Under the Sand" & "8 Women," both of which I missed but which were well reviewed).
As for what the film meant. Well based on what I thought upon seeing it & now upon seeing some interviews with Ozon, I think it goes like this:
Rampling goes to her publisher's house in France to write her next novel. While there, her publisher's daughter unexpectedly shows up, and Rampling angrily calls her publisher. The publisher then has his daughter leave (or not...this isn't really that relevant). This is the daughter we see at the end of the film, both on the publisher's office & in the (revised) flashback.
Rampling then creates the fictionalized daughter (Sagnier) whom we see for most of the film. She makes her murderous & develops both an interesting back story & a new plot for her. As part of her back story, she creates the character of Sagnier's mother, the ex-wife of her publisher. She then creates an emotional novel that this character would have written. This is the novel that she presents to her publisher at the end. What we have seen for most of the film is the next Dorwell detective novel, which is indicated by Rampling telling her publisher that there is a new, interesting Dorwell novel coming.
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