'Learn To Swim' Review: It's A Vibe | Cinéfest Sudbury 2021

There's a beauty to a film set in the jazz world that ebbs and flows in a similar way. In his directorial debut, Thyrone Tommy builds a world in Learn to Swim that has the vibe and energy of a smokey, dim-lit jazz club. We follow two musicians, saxophonist Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide) and singer Selma (Emma Ferreira), who fall in and out of love. A tumultuous relationship that leans into the extremes of jazz: controlled chaos.

Learn to Swim uses a non-linear format to emphasize the beauty of new love and the baggage and complexities of people that can tear down a promising relationship. Tommy dives into the muddiness of love stories, and the varied timeline connects the dots of the past and present. Olajide and Ferreira have a good chemistry that works in Learn to Swim, mostly antagonistic but with a clear desire to pursue love. And while the relationship between Dezi and Selma is the catalyst and focus of the film, Dezi's personal journey as a young man navigating life through friendships, work, and music is the thru-line of Learn to Swim. Olajide is given a lot to work with and delivers a solid performance in his young career.

Of course for a film that relies so heavily on jazz, a word needs to be said about the music. While I have an aversion to using this cliche, the music in Learn to Swim really is a character. It guides the audience through the intense, dynamic, and emotional scenes, and soothes us when we need to take a breath. Tommy succeeds greatly in marrying jazz with film and with love.

The film isn't without it's problems though. There are places where it lags and the timeline becomes overly complicated and difficult to follow. And while the third-character of music strikes a beautiful note, there are one too many musical performances in Learn to Swim that don't serve the story, and aren't memorable enough to include. For a film with a simple premise, Tommy creates complexity where it's unnecessary and ultimately, not worthwhile.

That being said, Learn to Swim is a good start for Tommy — it's ambitious, confident, and skews the traditional love story. The idea of the film is wonderful and combined with the romanticism and atmospheric cinematography, there are enough positives that makes Tommy an emerging filmmaker to keep an eye on.

The 2021 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival runs online from September 18 to 26.