Head Above Water (1996) is a remake of a 1993 Norwegian film of the same name, and belongs to my absolute favorite genre of film: the "black comedy". I've never been one to shy away from a joke, even in the most inappropriate of situations (just ask my former teachers). Black comedies aren't for everyone, as their basic purpose is to make light of things that normally demand a somber tone. This may not be your cup of tea, and that's fine. However, in my book, laughter has always been the best medicine...no matter how sick the situation may be.

Coincidentally, the overall plot of Head Above Water would be pretty sick...if it was reported on the evening news. Basically, it involves a Judge (Harvey Keitel), his wife (Cameron Diaz), her former lover, Kent (Billy Zane), and a dead body (which may or may not be one of these three). With murder and infidelity at the forefront, it's not exactly "family night" material we're dealing with. As mentioned before, a successful black comedy transforms otherwise tragic events into situations designed to make the audience laugh, in spite of it all.

The problem? This isn't a successful black comedy.

Don't get me wrong...Head Above Water isn't a total failure, but there's far more "black" than "comedy." The performances offer occasional hints of spirit and vigor, but I wouldn't expect less from such a strong cast. Particularly good is the dependable Harvey Keitel (Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ), who milks his role for all it's worth. Still, he's not entirely believable as a guy who bagged Cameron Diaz (especially back in 1996, when she couldn't be confused for Skeletor's stunt double). Speaking of which, Diaz also performs well, having already proven her ability in The Last Supper (1995) and Feeling Minnesota (1996). Overall, there's a credible amount of talent here, but the whole production still seems half-hearted and empty. In short, I'd recommend a dozen other black comedies before this one, hands down.

If there's one thing I found interesting about the film, though, it's the size of the cast. Like the original Norwegian film, there are only five characters in all, which makes for a very streamlined sense of interaction. As a remake, I can't say for sure how close it is to the original in other areas, as I haven't seen the 1993 film. Still, the cynic in me is reminded of the vast differences between the original and Americanized versions of films like The Vanishing and Insomnia: while the latter was an interesting adaptation, I can't help but think we're not getting the whole picture here. Even so, a remake should still be able to stand on its own feet, and Head Above Water really struggles as it goes on. While the brisk 93-minute running time passed quickly enough, this was a film that had an interesting start, but couldn't quite keep things together.

Unfortunately, New Line's DVD release of this film does very little to support it. While the technical presentation is a fine effort, there's not much else to make this disc stand out among the crowd. In any case, let's see how this one stacks up, shall we?

The menu designs were somewhat generic, and it really looked like New Line was just going through the motions with this one. Although the layout is simple and the navigation smooth, the menu designs just didn't fit the movie at all. As for the film's presentation, the 93-minute running time is divided into 20 chapters, and no layer change was detected. Unfortunately, the packaging was not on hand for this screener disc, but I'm sure Cameron Diaz is featured prominently.

Although I really wanted to enjoy this film, Head Above Water just wasn't involving enough to stay afloat. For a one-time viewing, though, it did have a few decent moments, as well as several interesting performances. Still, the heights of the "black comedy" genre are well above this film, and that really hurts it in the long run. Additionally, the DVD from New Line doesn't offer much other than a decent technical presentation, and the movie just isn't strong enough to warrant a blind buy. If you're really curious to check this one out, I'd suggest a rental at best. However, most true fans of the genre would do better by looking elsewhere. Skip It.