A dark comedy thriller where a simple vacation turns into a deadly, cement-filled nightmare.

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: When newlyweds Nathalie and George retreat to a remote Maine island, a surprise visit from an ex-boyfriend ends in a fatal accident. As the couple attempts to hide the body, their panic spirals into a series of increasingly gruesome, desperate, and darkly comic attempts to cover their tracks.

Released in 1996, Head Above Water is a black comedy thriller directed by Jim Wilson. Starring Cameron Diaz as Nathalie and Harvey Keitel as her husband George, the film serves as an American remake of the Norwegian production Hodet over vannet, originally directed by Nils Gaup. The plot centers on a vacation that descends into chaos after Nathalie discovers her ex-boyfriend, Kent, dead on their marital bed. Fearing the consequences of a scandal—given George’s status as a prominent judge and Nathalie’s history with pill addiction—the couple decides to dispose of the body themselves rather than involve the authorities.

The narrative is driven by a series of misunderstandings and escalating violence. The couple initially believes Kent died from alcohol poisoning after consuming a bottle of methanol, but the situation becomes increasingly complex as they attempt to hide evidence. George, driven by jealousy and suspicion, eventually resorts to extreme measures, including dismembering the body and attempting to trap Nathalie in concrete. The film’s tone shifts between gallows humor and melodrama, a stylistic choice that drew mixed reactions from critics at the time of its release.

Critical reception was polarized, with the film holding a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Some reviewers, such as Marc Savlov of The Austin Chronicle, praised the performances, specifically highlighting Diaz’s comedic timing and Keitel’s ability to inject nastiness into his role. Conversely, other critics, including Jack Mathews of the Los Angeles Times and Stephen Holden of The New York Times, argued that the film suffered from poor chemistry, miscasting, and an indecisive tone. Despite these critiques, the film remains a notable example of 1990s dark comedy, running for 92 minutes and concluding with a final, ironic twist involving a beach patrolman.

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