Under the Sand: it is a sad tale told by François Ozon in this drama, as it follows the wife of a man who disappeared during their beach vacation. Her denial of his fate is heartbreaking, but it’s also interesting that she is selective on how to apply it. The film is a bit cold, which is not as bad as it sounds since the film could be emotionally overwhelming. The success of the film rests on Charlotte Rampling’s shoulders; she plays a loving wife, clearly an intelligent woman who is simply unwilling to believe the facts in front of her; it is a quiet but emotionally charged performance. Bruno Cremer, as her husband, and Jacques Nolot, as a potential affair, don’t have much screentime but both make the best out of it. Aesthetically, the film is well done, tightly edited and cleanly shot, but far from memorable.