Young Woman And The Sea (2024) Dir: Joachim Rønning
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I can't say that this Joachim Rønning directed drama from Disney was at the top of my watchlist for this year, but it's arrival onto Disney Plus persuaded me to give it a go. The film is based on the true story of Olympic champion and open-water swimmer Gertrude Ederle, a story which encouraged me to check it out.
The first thing to say is that the fact that they filmed the swimming scenes in the Black Sea and the English Channel, rather than a pool, is genuinely impressive. This real world context both informed and emboldened the events playing out on screen.
The writing was nothing special, but, aside from some clunky exposition and pacing issues, I didn't mind it. The screenplay screamed awards-bait, but the hopefulness and determination of its protagonist was undeniably uplifting.
It was certainly a walking cliché of a film, but for what it's worth, I enjoyed it. After all, the true nature of the story was absolutely inspirational. I think the film did well to emphasise the scale of the task that its main character undertook, and I was swept along by the third act quite nicely.
I thought that Daisy Ridley did a pretty commendable job with her starring role, and not just with the swimming either. Her accent was, for the most part, solid, and she had an exuberance which emanated from the screen wonderfully.
Of the supporting cast, Tilda Cobham-Her and Stephen Graham gave the best performances, each providing compelling and likable secondary characters. I must admit, I enjoyed Graham more, but then I am a big admirer of his talents.
Of the remaining cast members, Sian Clifford deserved the most credit, while the likes of Kim Bodnia, Glenn Fleshler and Christopher Ecclestone also impressed enough to deserve mentions for their supporting roles.
Overall, this was an uplifting and enjoyable film, which, despite its clichés, was definitely worth my time. It won't be for everyone, and it did have its issues, but I for one am glad I gave it a chance. It got me watching, and kept me engaged, and that's enough.
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