REVIEW: YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA

4/5

Sea Change

129 Mins. Starring: Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Christopher Eccleston, Jeanette Hain, Sian Clifford & Glenn Fleshler. Screenplay: Jeff Nathanson. Director: Joachim Rønning. On: Disney +.

Just in time for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, that we are in the heart of, comes a woman who competed in the last French capital city Olympiad, exactly 100 years ago for this anniversary. The Legendary Gertrude Ederle returned from the City Of Light shining in bronze, instead of gold. But when she came home to the Big Apple, after swimming the entirety of the English Channel, New Yorkers did more than just tune into this people's hero. The city that never sleeps showed up in droves across the streets of Manhattan. There hasn't been a parade for a sports star, man or woman, this big, since. Even Babe Ruth had to tip his Yankees cap after sucking an egg.

Based on the book of the same name by Glenn Stout, clearly taking earnest cues off Hemingway, the 'Young Woman And The Sea' finds its lane on streaming service Disney Plus. The 'Pirates' producer Jerry Bruckheimer helmed biographical movie, joining the 'Glory Road' of the true story likes of other sports titans we remembered between all the Walt Disney animations and Pixar productions. Dive in like the ascent up the waterfalls to the new Disney intro I.D. that wishes upon a star even bigger than the Marvel one, which we're glad they kept after their century anniversary. Unless, this film was kept in the shallow end until the Netflix 'Nyad' Oscar nominated movie of the same theme starring Annette Benning and Jodie Foster made its splash. You'll feel similar themes that play by the rules here. No touching unless you want to get disqualified, like jumping the starter's gun. Legs feeling wobblier than when you wake up sleeping on them. And the notion that if you don't succeed...try, try (and try) again.

This 'Young Woman And The Sea' is anything but washed up. All is not lost like 'The Old Man and The Gun' Robert Redford fighting rising tides in one of his last and best pictures. No matter what the "not my 'Little Mermaid'" tide will say as they roll their eyes at another film fronted by what they'd refer to as a "female". Give us, and the world, a break. Those who think we don't need to see another movie about an incredible feat at stake in the ocean after 'Nyad', are the same who sidelined the Civil Rights of 'Shirley' on Netflix after the success of 'Rustin'. Yet you didn't mind two White House under siege films a decade ago, never mind all these Marvel movies. 'Fleabag' star Sian Clifford's coaching inspired comments, worth more than pencilling in, say it all. As does the fatherly advice after adversity of 'Killing Eve' favourite Kim Bodina in a film that begins to feel like a Phoebe Waller-Bridge affair. Yet it was scripted by Jeff Nathanson (actually 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull' and the forthcoming 'Mufasa: The Lion King' prequel) and directed definitively by 'Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil's' Joachim Rønning.

Promising young woman Daisy Ridley has been through this type of scorn before. Star Wars "fans" turning on 'The Last Jedi' like they do everyone else, despite this awakening force propelling the long-awaited sequel's like the prequels in all their power never could. And here, she is still a Rey of light and unwavering belief in the face of male disrespect that's fixed on her like a glaring gaze. Her Gertrude swims through poisoned water and hordes, let alone a school, of jellyfish and refuses to be boxed in. It's beyond inspiring in the capturing of a character who was anything but a fake one. This may be "based on a true story", but it's real...all of it. 

Trudy Ederle beat measles as a child, and even overcome deafness later in life to dedicate her years to teaching deaf children how to swim. Where did she get her strength from? How about the mothering of Jeanette Hain for one? Or the sister's keeper of a 'I Am Woman' feminist icon capturer Tilda Cobham-Hervey. Standing strong amongst big names like Christopher Eccleston ('Who?), Glen Fleshler (wait until you see how he's convinced), and an always brilliant, and particularly so here, Stephen Graham. Lighting a beacon like Disney's 'Finest Hours', Ederle swam for the lengths of 14 hours and 31 minutes. No man or woman has ever channelled this since. Even Ernest's 'The Old Man' didn't conquer the sea quite like this. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Nyad', 'All Is Lost', 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'.