Two men answer the call of the ocean in this romantic fantasy adventure. Jacques (Jean-Marc Barr) and Enzo (Jean Reno) are a pair of childhood friends who, as adults, have both become professional divers. In Jacques case, diving is a matter of following in the footsteps of his father, who died at sea when Jacques was a boy. Charming Jacques and childlike Enzo have a calling for diving that goes beyond the ability to swim well. To the puzzlement of scientists, the men have a remarkable ability to adjust their heart rates and breathing patterns in the water, so that their vital signs more closely resemble that of dolphins than men (Jacques even considers a school of dolphins as his extended family). As Jacques and Enzo embark on a friendly but serious rivalry over who can dive deeper and longer without scuba gear, Jacques meets Johanna (Rosanna Arquette), a beautiful insurance investigator from America, and he finds that he must choose between his love for her and his love of the sea. Le Grand Bleu ran 132 minutes in its original French version, but it was trimmed to 118 for American release, with the original score by Eric Serra replaced by music from Bill Conti. While the film did middling business in the U.S., it was a huge success in Europe, and director Luc Besson released an expanded 168 minute version in 1998. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide