Young Woman and the Sea
Synopsis: The story of competitive swimmer Trudy Ederle, who in 1928, was the first woman to ever swim across the English channel.
Director: Joachim Ronning
Stars: Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham
Runtime: 2 hours 9 mins
Genre: Biographical sports drama
This review has been provided by fellow movie reviewer Sunil Nijran
It has been four-and-a-half years since I saw Daisy Ridley on the big screen!! ... Yes, it has been that long since the release of Star Wars Episode IV: The Rise of Skywalker!! Being a fan of hers, she is the only reason why I went to watch this film!! Being made on a limited budget and being shown at a few select theatres, unfortunately not including the one I am a member of.. I had to pay to watch it!! So... was it worth it?...
There is something about expectation, choice and just accepting that can and usually does make all the difference between whether you enjoy something or not!! This movie is about the true life story of Trudy Eberley.. the first woman to swim the English Channel.. all 21.3 miles of it.. although as one character in the movie so beautifully put.. it feels more like 50 with the wind and currents!!
The film begins in the time of World War 1 in New York, where a young Trudy ... strong headed but innocent at the same time, is introduced to a time of old fashioned ways, gender discrimination and poverty. Born into a working class family she is the daughter of a father who is a butcher and a mother, who is a seamstress. It is her mother who in a fleeting comment seems to spark something in the young 10 year old Trudy that makes swimming her passion... even though at first she isn't very good at it!! But as the old saying goes.. If at first...
The movie is set in the period 1914 to 1926 and the way in which it is made makes it feel that way.. i.e. with people behaving in a way appropriate to that time frame.
As the movie goes on, it shows how women have been made to feel like second class citizens and how they have had to fight for their rights and truly portrays and showcases the feminine spirit!!
When Daisy Ridley does enter the movie she is strangely shown in a way that makes it look like she is a supporting actor rather than the main character.. with the initial introduction showing her elder sister, played by Australian actress, Tilda Cobham-Hervey (real life partner of actor, Dev Patel) who is actually 2 years younger than Daisy Ridley in real life, as the lead and role model to her younger sister!! Continuing, it shows how Daisy Ridley's character, Trudy improves with herself becomes a role model to other young girls!! She has to fight not only discrimination from men, but also her father.
It is actually her mother who comes to her aid and helps get her on her way to becoming the athlete she is became!!
The movie makes good use of seasoned actors like Christopher Eccleston in a negative role and Stephen Graham in an excellent supporting role. And despite the serious but inspiring undertones of the movie, there is a surprising amount of comedy which raised more than the odd laugh from the audience. A special mention should also go to actress, Jeanette Hain who played Daisy Ridley's mother in the movie!! It is amazing how seasoned actors can use a simple facial expression to convey so much on screen power and emotion. For me.. hers was the standout performance!!
As for Daisy Ridley, she was very good, but truth be told.. any actress could have played the role. It just happened to be her!! There were also question marks over her character's development and screenplay.. you sometimes felt that there should have been more to hear from here!! Although, she was still great as a damsel, so innocent, so beautiful, so adorable, so.... (Clears throat!! .. I digress.. back to it...)
The movie as a whole had it's moments and as I usually say in my reviews, lacked substance in some parts!! I would have liked to have seen more of her discipline towards diet and training and more interim scenes to show how she improved from the poor swimmer she was into the winner she became!! With a run time of 1 hour 40 minutes.. it could have been at least 20 minutes longer!! There are some scenes which are cleverly shot in a way to remind you of Titanic and Cinderella Man. And although the movie ended with it's predictable and inspiring conclusion.. it did so with a truly heart-warming moment.. a moment which helps restore faith in humanity!!
Which brings me back to the beginning of this review... about expectations, choice and acceptance. People have a tendency of putting their own oar into things, and if I was doing that I would say that although this was a good movie, it was not a great one!! Had it been a certificate 15 instead of a PG, being made with a more grittier undertone and helmed by the likes of Ron Howard rather than Joachim Ronning, it would have been 10 times better!! Accepting it in the people made it.. and it is still a good movie, made to inspire with a dose of innocence to go with it!! And of course... DAISY RIDLEY!!
Daisy Ridley keeps this historical sports biopic afloat with strong support from Christopher Eccleston and Stephen Graham. Whilst it is a good movie, in more experienced hands it could have been great!
Verdict - Matched Expectations (almost)
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