‘No Limit’ On Netflix Movie Review: An Unpredictable Ending Makes This Real-Life Free Diving Story Unmissable

'No Limit': Cast & Crew

Other Title: Sous Emprise

Director: David M. Rosenthal

Cast: Sofiane Zermani, Camille Rowe, César Domboy, Zacharie Chasseriaud, Alexandre Poole, Hassam Ghancy, Laurent Fernandez, Laurence Porteil, Grégory Gaule, Antonin Schopfer, Johakim Mejri, Mélanie Laurent, Sally Margueron, Gaëtan Fritsch

Available On: Netflix

Duration: 1 Hour 58 Mins

'No Limit': Story

Roxana Aubrey decides to drop her studies and escape her life in Paris for a freediving course in the south of France. She is quickly pulled into a life that reaches new depths brought by the weight of an ocean's descent. When Roxana meets world champion free diver Pascal Gauthier, she is immediately smitten. Pascal introduces her to an extreme sport that is as enthralling as it is death-defying. She becomes both lover and student as Pascal initiates her into this new world. Roxana moves from one competition to the next, in dive locations across the world. She begins to push limit after limit, wholly consumed in the throes of this passionate affair. But where will it end? Will she be able to survive the pressures of this extreme sport? Will she be able to find the true love of her life? Or will she get betrayed in the process? Well,

'No Limit': Performances

Sofiane Zermani is the one person who can surprise you at any point. In one moment, you'll feel that he is the good guy, and in the very next instant, you will be rooting for his downfall. The arrogance and angst that he brings to the character are worth the watch. The best in the last closing shot of the film, where he is standing outside the airport – that devilish smile with the gazing look simply sends shivers down your spine.

Camille Rowe's performance stands out not just for the way she looks but even in the way she has performed the stunts on her own. It looks so easy in the way that she has performed the underwater scenes, which are actually really tough to perform. Not just those, even the emotional bits, she has managed to nail them to apt perfection. Her sex scenes are also very aesthetically shot. The vigour and the intensity that Rowe has brought into those scenes make you drawn toward her character more and more.

The rest of the supporting cast has performed decently, however, there is no standout performance.

‘No Limit’: Script, Direction & Technical Aspects

David M. Rosenthal’s writing is the only soft spot of ‘No Limit’. There is no such depth in the characters that have been built. All the characters are very superficial and you don’t actually get to know a lot about their background. While the climax is fantastic, the rest of the story is quite smooth without a lot of bumps along the way. That rivalry between lovers who are competing for the same position should have been intensified. The way Amitabh Bachchan-Jaya Bachchan’s relationship went awry in ‘Abhimaan’ or the way Aditya Roy Kapur-Shraddha Kapoor’s relationship drew power from one another in ‘Aashiqui 2’ – that was missing in ‘No Limit’. The depth and intensity of the fierce romance between competitors are lacking.

David M. Rosenthal’s direction however is commendable. The way he has managed to show the climax by keeping the story as close to possible as the real-life incident and also not pointing any fingers at anyone is commendable. He has managed to keep the ending unpredictable, and that’s what gives you the kick of reality at the very end.

Atli Örvarsson should have tried to bring in the feel of the ocean much more in his background score and music. The underwater scenes did give chills because of the way they were shot, but the music too could have been eerier to make the depths of the ocean feel more haunting.

Thomas Hardmeier’s cinematography is what saves this film. The brilliance with which he has shot the underwater sequences is terrific. To add to that, the way he has aesthetically shot the sex scenes is as good as it can get. The exotic locales have been explored fully to their potential to make the viewer feel like he’s actually in those sailboats with the free divers. Superb work Thomas!

Stéphane Roche and Hervé Schneid’s editing made sure that the film didn’t go beyond time. It was crisp and kept well under two hours. The way they’ve brought the chills of the underwater sequences is praiseworthy.

'No Limit': Can Kids Watch It?

Yes

Outlook Verdict

From the outset 'No Limit' definitely looks like a coming-of-age romcom, but within minutes of it starting you realize that it's not just about the gorgeous locales and sexy hot bods – the story is much more intense than you can imagine. The complexity of relationships when both partners are competing in the same sport is unmatchable, and 'No Limit' manages to show not just the ugly side, but the real-life version of it. The unpredictability of the climax is what makes it worth your time. It's indeed a Breezy One Time Watch. I am going with 3 stars.