If you have the money to languorously idle on its rocky beaches, Pantelleria must be heaven. But this paradisiacal lump of land—located halfway between Sicily and Tunisia, and therefore a transitional stop for African refugees—is also covered with snakes and lizards and blazing sun. Illustrating all too well the contradictory nature of its setting, A Bigger Splash contains interesting filmmaking choices comingling with terrible ones.
The best choice was putting Ralph Fiennes in this movie. He's goddamn great as Harry, an English record producer who's come to badger rock star Marianne (Tilda Swinton) and her boyfriend Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts) during their self-imposed exile. He's brought along daughter Penelope (Dakota Johnson), who observes quietly as dad drinks, cooks, swims, and generally acts like the most charming man in the world whenever he isn't being the most annoying one.