Of all the music genres, jazz seems to lend itself the best to the cinematic tradition. The conversations between instruments, how they ebb and flow, can be almost perfect mirrors to lines of dialogue between actors. Learn to Swim, the debut film from director Thyrone Tommy, is the latest film to explore this. It follows Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide) and Selma (Emma Ferreira), a saxophone player and a singer, through their tender romance and the ups and downs of their relationship.
From its opening moments, it’s clear that Learn to Swim, more than anything else, wants to sink its audience into what it feels like to live as a musician. The score is arguably the third central character besides Dezi and Selma. It’s the backbone of the story, the soundtrack to the sensuality of their connection as well as the heartbreak of their drifting apart. Dezi’s saxophone and Selma’s voice intertwine to tell their story.
The film is about love, although not necessarily a love story. That would imply something sweet and idyllic. Learn to Swim is a beautiful experience, but it doesn’t sugarcoat the relationships we form in our youth, what we bring into them and what they leave us with. Relationships are not as simple as a fairytale with a beginning and end. The film concentrates on the swirling, muddling effects of these connections and the imprints left on us at different points in life. It’s structured as a non-linear traipse through Dezi’s life, with key sense memories linking his past to his present. The result is beautiful transitions and sequences linked by overlapping songs and conversations, doorways, and the alluring lights of nightclubs and restaurants.
The cinematography allows for even a simple apartment to become an almost otherworldly portal into a sensuous dreamscape. Selma’s home is bathed in warm lamps and hanging plants, embodying her initial introduction to Dezi as an almost mystical songstress. As the film progresses, though, it admirably transitions into a much more realistic portrayal of their romance, all their flaws coming into sharp relief. Selma doesn’t remain some intangible beauty. Rather, she is layered and complex, with a past that makes her relationship with Dezi something a bit difficult to maintain.
In fact, the film is mostly concerned with how Dezi chooses to engage with all the relationships in his life, not just romantic ones. It explores his friendships, his attitude towards his neighbors, and the push and pull he feels with jazz music. The result is a film that is very ambitious, although quite messy as it moves along. Towards the back half, the non-linear narrative makes the film a bit difficult to follow, making its message a bit muddled in its delivery. It finds its way back to the point by the very end, as past and present finally merge and a clearer picture is painted.
Learn to Swim is incredibly impressive as a debut feature. It’s thoughtful and romantic, while also managing to be heartbreaking without feeling needlessly high-minded. It’s grounded by stunning, tactile performances and the amazing chemistry of its two main characters. Its soundtrack is also some of the most beautiful music I’ve heard in a film this year. It’s a lush experience, one that’s left me very excited to see more from this filmmaker.
