Set in a small waterfront town tucked along the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, SWIMMERS follows the relationship between a lonely eleven year-old girl from a family of struggling watermen and an enigmatic young woman making an uneasy return to the home of her childhood. As the young... [More]

Set in a small waterfront town tucked along the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, SWIMMERS follows the relationship between a lonely eleven year-old girl from a family of struggling watermen and an enigmatic young woman making an uneasy return to the home of her childhood. As the young woman provides an oasis from the stress and financial hardships that threaten to tear the girl's family apart, she in turn finds herself growing ever-dependent on the unconditional friendship and unlikely support the child provides. SWIMMERS stars Tara Devon Gallagher (as eleven year-old Emma) and Sarah Paulson (as her confidante Merrill) in performances that achieve bare bones honesty. When Emma suddenly requires a vital medical procedure and her father (Robert Knott) loses his fishing boat - and his livelihood - Emma's family finds itself on the brink. Meanwhile, Merrill fights to reconcile the emotional turmoil of her past with her attraction to Emma's brother Clyde (Shawn Hatosy). As Emma's curiosity and interest lighten Merrill's perspective on her own soul searching, Merrill's influence provides the girl with a much needed sense of freedom and mischievousness. As Emma begins to unveil the story of Merrill's past, however, their friendship takes a dark turn and her mother (Cherry Jones) intervenes. Soon relationships collide and secrets are revealed in the fractious household. Told from Emma's imaginative perspective, SWIMMERS is a fiercely intimate look at the strength and delicacy of family and an eloquent paean to the lifestyle of the Chesapeake waterman. Ultimately, the film illuminates the lives of people for whom survival and redemption often require heartbreaking negotiation with their daily hopes and fears. --© Official Site [Less]