The Boys in the Boat (2023) Review

AN INSPIRING (YET FORMULAIC)

CROWD-PLEASING SPORTS DRAMA

Underdog tales are the stuff of excellence in the classic “human connections”, tugging at an intangible (yet instrumental) cord of emotions and of “feel good” revelations. Outmatched heroes, difficult challenges, going against the odds, and defying expectations are the hallmarks of what most humans strive for, finding the link of being “greater than oneself” is of paramount importance. It’s a triumph of the human spirit, one that can be shared amongst countless individuals in rooting for the overcoming the challenges we face. Underdog movies (in combination of sports dramas) is something that is steeped in this deepest and resonating human emotion that makes smile, cheer, and even cry while watching such cinematic endeavors. Such inspiring and “feel good” movies can be found in a great host of motion picture narratives, including 1976’s Rocky, 1984’s Karate Kid, 1991’s Rudy, 2000’s Remember the Titans, 2004’s Miracle, 2011’s Warrior, 2015’s Eddie the Eagle, and 2023’s Gran Turismo just to name a few. Now, MGM Studios (or rather Amazon MGM Studios) and actor / director George Clooney present the latest endeavor of the underdog storytelling with the release of The Boys in the Boat, based on a true story. Does this movie race (or rather row) swiftly to the finish line or does it stall underneath the formulaic nature of these narratives and ends up without placing a medal in the sports drama variety?

THE STORY

In the 1930s, Joe Rantz (Callum Turner) is a young man trying make his way in academia education at the University of Washington, dealing with struggles of extreme poverty during the “Great Depression” as he pursues an engineering degree. Finding difficulty to make ends meat and with no financial support, Joe’s time on the collegiate level is in jeopardy, only to be rescued by his longtime friend Roger Morris (Sam Strike), who suggest that the pair try out for the JV boat crew, which offers a bed to those who make the team as well as part-time job. Arriving there, Joe and Sam soon discover the tough endurance it takes to row crew, with Coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton) looking to shape a new team with young hopefuls, yet also facing the idea of his removal as the Washington Huskies deal with consecutive losses over the years. In time, Ulbrickson sees something in joe, which gives the young man a chance by bringing him (and Sam) on the team; pushing the students to brink of physical collapse. Finding peace and guidance with George Yeomans Pocock (Peter Guiness), a kind man in charge of making the boats for the team and finding “young love” in a courtship with Joyce Simdars (Hadley Robinson), Joe, along with his fellow Huskies teammates, take on the best of the best in rowing, trying to establish a rhythm with each other and keeping aspiring Olympic dreams in the back of the minds.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

The underdog tales are the stuff “as old as time itself”, finding the palatability (and overall likeability) of such narratives structures that utilize the classic “David vs. Golath” framing of overcome the odds and challenges and rise up against adversity / diversity. In truth, all humans wish to be better themselves (at least, in my opinion) and….even more so….like viewing, watching, reading, and hearing such triumphs as the human spirit enduring such hardships, yet rising above all that and coming out on top. That’s why we love watching underdog movies; they make us cheer, root, smile, and even find tender sentimentality with such projects, with replay view high to try and catch such elation and joy all over again. Of course, I do have some my personal favorites ones, including Rudy, Remember the Titans, Secretariat, The Karate Kid, Rocky IV, and yes….even Gran Turismo (one definitely surprised by this movie). The problem, however, is that sometimes these under tale tropes are mostly cut from the cloth of storytelling, finding the journey to be rooted into formulaic path of struggles, setbacks, resolution that has been done, retooled, and repurposed many times over. So, which is usually the case, most of these endeavors have to try and heighten certain aspects (be it characters, acting talent, presentations) to help sell the film’s familiar tones and themes as well as driving home the resonating conclusion of emotional inspiration. In the end, while not the most original form of storytelling, underdog sports drama movies have special (almost secretive way) of connecting with viewers, mirroring the emotional human connection by establishing link between inspirational heart and excitement melodrama for their presentation.

This brings me back around to talking about The Boys in the Boat, a 2023 sports drama feature and the latest film project to present an underdog narrative. Since I use to work in a bookstore for many years, I actually do recall seeing a book titled “The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics” by Daniel James Brown and also recall a lot of people (those looking for historical biopics books) would buy it. So, it was book that I would constantly sell every now and again, but I personally never picked up to read it (maybe I should have). Flash forward to 2023 and I remember hearing about actor / director George Clooney was going to be doing a historical sports drama and that the movie was going to be about a boat rowing team from the 1930…. the same ones that went (and won) in the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin. After that, I didn’t hear much about the film until the film’s movie trailer began to appear online and during my local movie theater’s “coming attractions” preview. From the trailer alone, the film did look quite promising, promoting a sense of teamwork, hardship, and overcome the odds; something that a true “underdog” story would want to convey. Given my opening paragraph, I love a good underdog movie….so…. I was definitely interested in seeing The Boys in the Boat when it was set to be released on December 25th, 2023. Unfortunately, due to my work schedule during the holiday season, I had to wait a week and half before seeing the movie and had to hold off from writing up my review for this project until I had some free. Well, that free time is here and I’m ready to share my personal thoughts on this movie. And what did I think of it? Well, I actually liked it. Despite it playing it safe and going through some predictable progressions, The Boys in the Boat is inspiring “based on a true story” that will please many out there for it encourage tale of overcoming odds and cinematic presentation. It’s not the “quintessential” underdog sports drama out there, but it’s surely a “feel good” movie that many will like and find endearing from beginning to end.

The Boys in the Boat is directed by actor / director George Clooney, whose previous directorial works include such films as Good Night, Good Luck, The Monuments Men, and The Midnight Sky. Given his previous works of directing such ambitious and lofty features, Clooney does seem like a capable / suitable director to helm a project like this particular film, approaching the source material with a sense of respect and integrity. In fact, Clooney shapes the movie to be almost like a throwback sports drama feature that Hollywood use to create…. something along the lines of Remember the Titans or Rudy. It’s quite hard to put my finger on it, but it some type of “feeling” that I got while watching this that made me feel wholesome and endearing to watch. Of course, I can’t say what was changed, added, or omitted from Brown’s book, but what’s presented does indeed work and gives off that inspiring “feel good” vibe throughout the entire picture. It’s testament to Clooney’s direction that he doesn’t looks focus from the importance of the feature and the story it wants to tell. In truth, that “feel good” aspect does permeate the entire film and does build motivation and momentum from start to finish. It all might sound a bit cliché, but The Boys in the Boat is a true underdog story that races to finish line and has plenty of inspiration and inspiring moments.

Surprisingly, does have a few moments of comedy where it does count and does help break up some of the more dramatic pieces. This helps make the cast (or rather the characters) have that human connection in their roles and provides some amusement in those said areas. Naturally, the film’s action scenes (the boat racing sequences) acts as the “beating heart” of the movie as Clooney demonstrates throughout the movie with a meticulous attention to detail to make sure sequences come alive with plenty of excitement and thrills befitting the sports drama mantra. These scenes have some great pacing and keeps the momentum going that proves a solid foundation for the sports drama angle and keeps viewers invested. Plus, as I’ll mention this below, the dynamic camera angles for these boat racing scenes are tightly woven together for some slick and stylish sequences that one can actually feel the strength of young men pulling the paddles with as well as the sloshing of water from the boat’s movements. Coinciding with that, while the movie is a bit rushed in my opinion (more on that below), Clooney does make the movie light on its toes and keeps everything moving along at brisk pace. This is especially noticeable considering that the film has a runtime of 123 minutes (two hours and three minutes) and doesn’t feel that quite long while viewing, never getting bogged down with superfluous ideas and tropes that are unimportant to the main story taking place. Overall, I think that Clooney did a good job in helming a project like this; finding inspirational in the face of adversary and crafting a feature film that has entertainment merit in its crowd-pleasing tale of young men chasing glory.

For its presentation, The Boys in the Boat looks solid across the board and hits all the right marks (correctly) in how to present such a cinematic tale as both an equal of being a sports drama and historical period piece. This particular film doesn’t require a whole lot of CGI production to help build / set, so a lot of emphasis is placed on the more practical effects usage and background aesthetics to help generate the film’s story and background timer period (circa 1930s). Every detail does look meticulous drawn out in the correct manner to setting and locations that the film takes place in to the costumes and clothing attires that the characters (both major and minor) are fitted with and even the hair / make-up looks pristine and feel appropriate for the movie’s setting. Thus, the features “behind the scenes” team, including Kalina Ivanov (production design), Judy Farr (set decorations), Jenny Eagan (costume design), as well as the entire art direction team, and the hair / make-up department for their efforts in brings this world to life with such cinematic qualities. Speaking of cinematics, the cinematography work by Martin Ruhe is spot on throughout the feature, with plenty of strong camera angle shots, especially during the rowing race sequences) to help entice viewers within those moments of thrilling sports drama. This also plays a part in the film’s editing work by Tanya M. Swerling for piecing together the film’s narrative in a cohesive manner, but also making some of Ruhe’s dynamic shots come alive with such a valiant display of greatness and dramatic poise. Lastly, the film’s score, which was composed by Alexander Desplat, is quite the rousing complication soundtrack, with plenty of musical compositions suites and melodies to help drum up those inspiring and uplifting moments at a beckon call as well as soften the movie with some quieter / tender moments of character driven dialogue scenes.

Unfortunately, The Boys in the Boat does hit a few snags along the way that, while not derailing (or in the case of this movie…. capsize the boat), the movie does draw some criticisms in how it presents some of the material for this movie and how it is executed for a cinematic storytelling. How so? Well, I do have to say that movie itself is bit too much rushed (for the most part) and does seem to miss out on some important details here and there. I mean…. the personal struggle of the other rower’s living conditions / situations, Coach Ulbrickson’s family life, the insight in the other coaches involved, and a few other nuances could’ve been easily fleshed out more for a deeper (or rather clearer) understanding of this underdog team. What’s presented works, but there is always room for improvement and could’ve easily expanded upon such nuances. Plus, it’s quite the hurried feeling throughout, with very little time to fully digest much of the film’s situation. I’m not saying that the movie is hard to follow (again, it’s quite straightforward sports drama), but buildup to the race in the Olympic games felt very…. back-to-back and had very little time to…how to say…. “stop and smell the roses” of the narrative, for the montage usage that Clooney does feels like we (as the viewers) are missing out on some important details to the plot. Even the final closing moments feel a bit rushed and don’t really say what became of all these characters after the Olympic games and what they went on to accomplish. It would’ve been quite interesting to see what became of these young men and what they saw / did after. I get it is to keep the feature on a very restricted and lean runtime (something that I praise the feature for having), but, at the same time, the rushed manner of the movie (pacing) does lack the finesse of some of the film’s substance; sacrificing plot elements that could’ve made the feature more well-rounded.

Coinciding with that (I’ll mention more on this below) I felt that the script could’ve been a little bit better handled when it comes to many of the supporting characters in the movie…. of which there is too many and not enough time to fully digest / invest them beyond a few standouts here and there. Of course, with a large cast of characters to follow, more of the secondary individuals sort of fall into this category, so this is usually the problem and didn’t bother me quick as much. That being said, most of the supporting players felt a bit undercooked as we (the viewers) only get to know a few of the team as well as other side characters along the way.

Lastly, I do have to say that the movie is a bit predictable. I know that sounds like quite a bad thing to draw criticism from, but that’s usually the case for sports dramas about an underdog person or group. The tales of overcome odds in the face adversity (as mentioned) is quite proven method of good storytelling, but it’s been done quite a lot, especially in the inspirational sports drama framing. There’s definitely excitement and enjoyment of watching such a story unfold, but there very little new avenues or creativity placed on this project to make it stand out from the rest of the pack. Thankfully, the presentation is on point, so it makes for a cinematically pleasing endeavor to watch, but the overall predictability of what the film tells (and how it ultimately comes to a conclusion) is tad too familiar with little to no surprises added into the mix, with Clooney and his team playing it safe and never coloring outside the parameters lines of inspirational sports drama.

Of course, the cast in The Boys in the Boat does come through and manages to rise above those said obstacles for some solid character performances from the main principles roster as well as some effective supporting ones in their limited capacity. Regardless of what I mention about these characters in the movie (good, bad, or indifferences), I believe that the casting by Rachel Tenner is spot on in all aspect, for all the actors and actresses involved on this project look like they belong during the movie’s time period (circa early to mid-1930s). Leading the charge in the movie is actor Callum Turner, who plays the film’s main protagonist character Joe Rantz. Known for his roles in Emma., Masters of the Air, and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Turner, while usually the leading man on projects, has certainly amassed quite a library career of roles and production he has starred in from smaller scale endeavors to big franchise tentpoles. To be sure, Turner is slowly becoming a rising star / recognizable face in the mainstream film world. Thus, his involvement on this particular movie is indeed a welcome one and I think that Turner does a pretty good job in playing the role of Joe Rantz. Of course, much like what I said above about the story, the character of Joe Rantz is rather a predictable and straightforward young man, who is “down-on-his-luck” and is given an opportunity for a better life, with (of course) personal struggles and triumphs along the way. Yes, it’s quite a retread narrative character journey arc that many can see coming (from beginning to end), but this usually comes into play in underdog sports drama narratives, so it’s kind of part of the “genetic makeup” of the subgenre. Turner is, of course, up for the challenge to play such a character like Joe Rantz and brings with him a sense of the “average joe” feeling of a down-on-his-luck persona that is given a chance to find who he is and what he’s able to do.

Also, headlining this movie as the more “bigger named star” of the feature would be actor Joel Edgerton, who plays the character role of Coach Al Ulbrickson, a seasoned “tough love” coach of the Washington Huskies rowing boat team. Edgerton, who is known for his roles in The Great Gatsby, The Gift, and Warrior, Is a good fit for the character of Coach Ulbrickson, who has the correct amount of steely demeanor of hardened edge to make the role feel genuine and comes off across as something has “tough coach” yet still has that warmth in a few key areas. Like the other characters in the movie, Coach Ulbrickson is pretty “by-the-book” character who it comes characterizations, but Edgerton does certainly know how to make the character both amusing and entertaining and does “lead” the movie in certain times with the actor’s screen presence. If Edgerton is the film’s “big named star” than actor Peter Guiness (Watership Down and Zack Snyder’s Justice League) is perhaps the most “seasoned” actor on the project, playing the character of George Pocock, an elderly man who carves and shapes the rowing boats for the Washington Huskies. Again, it’s straight-forward character that offers up sage-like mentor advice to the main protagonist a lot, which is a bit customary for the underdog sports drama, but, while it may be a bit formulaic plot device character, Guiness is quite the perfect fit for the role, especially with his voice (with gravitas and wisdom) and how he delivers his dialogue lines.

For the girl characters in the movie, actress Hadley Robinson (Moxie and Little Women) does a pretty decent job in playing Joyce Simdars, Joe Rantz’s girlfriend in the movie. Robinson’s acting is perfectly fine in the film and certainly gets the job done (no complaints there), but the character does seem to “mechanical engineered” to fit in the narrative, even though she was a real person and played a part in Joe’s life. Basically, she is just the concerned and starry-eyed love interest for the main character and could’ve been a little bit more substance within her. Still, for better or worse, the character of Joyce is there in the plot and works for the movie’s story, despite her limitations in the grand scheme. Likewise, the same can be slightly said about actress Courtney Henggeler (Cobra Kai and Mom) as Coach Al’s wife Hazel Ulbrickson. Like so’s performance, Henggeler’s acting is perfectly fine in the role of Hazel, but the character is just presented in rather straightforward as the dutiful housewife. I know that probably not much could’ve been done with her beyond that, but it would’ve been beneficial for a tad bit more substance to her.

The rest of the cast, including actor Thomas Elms (The Order and Spiral) as rower Chuck Day, actor Jack Mulhern (Mare of Eastown and The Society) as rower Done Hume, actor Sam Strike (When the Streetlights Go On and Nightflyers) as Roger Morris, actor Joel Phillimore (The Bay and Tolkien) as rower Gordy Adam, actor Luke Slattery (The Post and Late Night) as rower Bobby Moch, actor Bruce Herbelin-Earle (Free Rain and 15 Days) as rower Shortly Hunt, actor Wil Coban (Origin and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) as rower Jim McMillin, actor Tom Varey (The Village and No Offence) as rower Johnny White, actor Dominic Tighe (Suspicion and The New Look) as Coach Brown, actor Chris Diamantopoulos (Mrs. Davis and Red Notice) as Royal Brougham, actor James Wolk (Mad Men and Front of the Class) as Coach Thomas Bolles, actor Glen Wrage (Cold Pursuit and Saving Private Ryan) as Coach KY Elbright, actor Edward Baker-Duly (Grange Hill and De-Lovely) as Benjamin Billings, actor Adrian Lukis (Pride and Prejudice and Judy), actor Andrew Bridgmont (The Theory of Everything and Howards End) as Heinreich Pauli, actor Frankie Fox (Grantchester and Cradle to Grave) as Glenn Merry, actor Jacob James Beswick (1917 and Andor) as Harvey Love, actor Jyuddah Jaymes (Django and Sanditon) as famed athlete Jesse Owens, actor Alec Newman (Dune and Children of Dune) as Joe’s estrange father Harry Rantz, actor Austin Haynes (The Duke and All Creatures Great and Small) as Joe’s grandson, and actor Daniel Philpott (The Crown and The Victory of Joan of Arc) as Adolf Hitler, make up the rest of the supporting players in the movie (secondary and minor ones). While all the acting talent involved gives some solid performances in their roles, the characters could’ve been easily expanded upon. What’s presented works to a certain degree for some characters, while others, which make up a lot of the other Huskies rowers team members, feel like they could’ve had a bit more of the “spotlight” during the film’s narrative story.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Looking to find some money to continue his education, Joe Rantz joins up with the Washington Huskies rowing team, proving that there is more at stake than what’s in front of him and the camaraderie determination that he had his fellow teammates have in the movie The Boys in the Boat. Director George Clooney’s latest film takes a closer cinematic examination into the lives of nine young men, who defied the odds and became Olympic champions at the 1936 Berlin games, peeling away at the strife and hardships that they faced from naysayers, onlookers, and even themselves. While the movie does tread into that familiar territory of being somewhat predictable and formulaic (having pitfalls in both story and characters), the film still manages to rise above most of the pitfalls, with special thanks to the Clooney’s direction, an uplifting and inspiring underdog tale, a solid presentation, slick cinematics, and good cast across the board. Personally, I liked this movie. Yes, it can be seeing as some conventional in the terms of being formulaic sports drama, but that’s usually the case. To me, the movie felt like classic throwback underdog tale of yesteryear, with not much strife of being offense or crude. It’s simple, clean, and above all else inspiring that anyone can easily watch without feeling bored or uplifted by the end of it. Could’ve been better? Yes, it could’ve been, but the movie is an easy sell for anyone to watch….and in this day and age of negativity, distorted media outlets, and brewing divisions…. a film like this is a reminder of that there is something worth cheering over. Thus, my recommendation for this movie would be a solid “recommended” for many moviegoers out there or (at the very least) a highly favorable “rent it” for those who are just simply looking for a good rental watch. In the end, The Boys in the Boat doesn’t really break any type of reinvention or remake the familiar wheel of underdog sports dramas, but rather reinforces its ideas and fundamentals; crafting a picture that has its heart in the right place and uplifting spirts rowing in the right direction for safe (yet inspiring) tale of overcoming the odds and making the impossible possible.