YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA (2024) - Movie Review

Director: Joachim Rønning
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Christopher Eccleston, Glenn Fleshler
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sport, Biography
Writer: Jeff Nathanson
Runtime: 129 min
Rated: Rated PG for thematic elements, some language and partial nudity
Buy This Movie: Disney+

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Synopsis:

Based on the extraordinary true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel, Daisy Ridley stars as the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement – a 21-mile trek from France to England.

Review:

After co-directing films like "Kon-Tiki" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales", director Joachim Rønning is back with a new high seas adventure. "Young Woman and the Sea" depicts the true story of Gertrude "Trudy" Ederle, the American swimmer dubbed by the press as "Queen of the Waves" who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel in 1926.

The film arrives on the heels of another inspirational true story swimming drama, 2023's "Nyad" which earned Oscar nominations for Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, and brings back the high spirited vibe of Disney classics like "Miracle", "Iron Will" and "Cool Runnings". Of course, the movie plays fast and loose with historical facts, as biopics usually do, presenting fictionalized versions of some events for dramatic effect, while other real-life facts are curiously ignored.

Daisy Ridley effortlessly commands the screen and carries the weight of the film with staunch determination. This is easily Ridley's best performance, and a solid step forward towards breaking away from her "Star Wars" past. There are also good supporting turns by Jeanette Hain as Trudy's mother, Stephen Graham as Bill Burgess, the second swimmer to have successfully crossed the Channel, and Christopher Eccleston as Jabez Wolffe, a sexist swimmer and trainer who is more or less the movie's villain.

Thankfully, Rønning's movie flows smoothly, and while the plot beats will be familiar to anyone who's ever watched more than one inspirational sports drama, it's all very entertaining and rousing, particularly the triumphant and emotionally-charged finale. Production values are decent, but not spectacular, and nothing really pops out visually other than some noticeable CGI and fake-looking sets. However, the emotional powerhouse score composed by Amelia Warner does help amp up the drama considerably.

Overall, "Young Woman and the Sea" is a cozy biopic and a solid underdog story, and I honestly believe Disney should have given this a wide theatrical release. It's definitely superior to the Disney+ drivel, and worth checking out.

SCORE: 7.5/10