Sink or Swim

A group of middle-aged men in France, including a depressed man named Bertrand, struggle with personal crises and a lack of purpose in their lives. To escape their daily hardships and combat existential dread, they decide to form a local male synchronized swimming team. Despite facing ridicule and skepticism from those around them, the men train under the guidance of a former swimming champion and another coach. Through this unconventional sport, the teammates seek to overcome their internal struggles and push themselves toward the goal of competing on an international level.

This comedy-drama was directed by Gilles Lellouche, following his 2012 film The Players and preceding Beating Hearts in 2024. Lellouche also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Julien Lambroschini and Ahmed Hamidi. The film features an ensemble cast including Mathieu Amalric, Guillaume Canet, Benoît Poelvoorde, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Virginie Efira, and Leïla Bekhti, with a total of 57 credited cast members.

The production was a collaboration between companies from France and Belgium, including StudioCanal and TF1 Films Production. Audiences responded positively, as reflected by a 6.9/10 rating on IMDb from 13,000 votes and a matching 6.9/10 on TMDB from 1,610 votes. Film critics gave the movie a slightly lower score of 6/10 based on 28 reviews.