The Boys in the Boat 2023
Audiences like this movie, but critics were not impressed. You couldn't ask for a more formulaic sports movie than this one. One thing missing is any kind of real challenges or personal obstacles to be overcome. There are no alcoholics or kids being beaten or having to take care of their younger siblings or messed up parents. They do point out that they are poor, but it was the Depression. It is just all sugar and frosting, no real substance. However, it is also a nice story about how the junior varsity rowing team at the University of Washington was able to rise to prominence and go the Olympics in 1936 in Berlin. It is original in the sense that even though this movie has been made a million times before, it has never been about the University of Washington rowing team. It still works for the most part. You want the team to win and there is appropriate drama and triumphant music at each race. It is an unabashed feel good movie. George Clooney as the director plays everything very safe with a paint by numbers plot, but does a solid job with everything except for provide much of a spark. After seeing the movie I watched a 2016 episode of American Experience about the crew with interviews of the author of the book the movie is based on, and honestly that was better than the movie in terms of the sports story, but the movie did add in some romance for the main character and some personal interaction that is meaningful. The movie is fun to watch as a dramatization, but then definitely watch the documentary.
Written: 31 Dec 2023