“The Boys in the Boat” is a motivating and alluring film directed by George Clooney, and based on the book written by Daniel James Brown. It follows the true story of the University of Washington’s rowing team as they struggle to qualify and compete in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Due to the high level of competition throughout the Northeast, especially among Ivy League schools, the University of Washington struggles to compete. During the Great Depression, the time in which the movie takes place, rowing was as popular as football is right now, creating a high-stakes situation in which the United States struggled to show they would come back from the Depression.
Rowing is a grueling sport: along with brute strength, you need the intelligence to understand water dynamics, and row in perfect synchronization with your teammates. This story caught my empathy, with the young men growing into adults at the peak of the Depression. They have holes in their shoes and are always hungry. Their determination is contagious throughout the film.
The main character, Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), is a homeless orphan on the verge of expulsion, as he cannot pay for tuition. However, the University of Washington offers to financially support any student who makes the rowing team. This allures hundreds of kids, including Joe, to try out for what the coach calls “the most difficult sport in the world.”
Joe makes the team under coach Al Ulbrickson and starts training. It kicks off an epic training montage, through a chronological sequence of events. He starts showing the team the ropes of the sport. The races and practices are beautifully customized, with wide overhead shots showing the rowers’ synchronization.
In my opinion, Clooney is a master of this underdog story. Each race is beautifully shot, and I felt myself rooting for the team as if I was there with them. Joe becomes close with George Pocock (Peter Guinness). George crafts the team’s handmade boats, or shells. Pocock is a father figure to Joe and gives him another idea of what a man can be.
Clooney, as well as screenwriter Mark L. Smith, tells the story in a heartfelt way that emphasizes the many hardships the rowers face. Ulbrickson puts the team in front of his job when he chooses to take the junior varsity team, full of freshmen, to the Olympic qualifying race. Rowing, being a very European and Eastern American dominant sport, left the team going up against many wealthy rowing teams in the Ivy League, with athletes who had the resources to begin rowing at a far younger age than the young Washington team.
There is terrific casting with every character, with Callum Turner giving a very thoughtful performance, perfectly emulating the determined main character, Joe Rantz. Coach Al Urbickson (Joel Edgerton) and George Pocock (Peter Guinness) do a great job portraying their supporting characters, helping bring a serious ambiance to the film.
My only criticism is that the book, published in 2013, went far more in detail about the backstory of Joe, the Depression, and the overall setting. It provided a more fundamental background, but it was not necessary to understand and enjoy the movie in full. The races are also in full detail in the book, but overall the cinematography makes up for it.
“I think everybody considers themselves an underdog,” said Clooney in an interview with Forbes. “I’ve met really rich, successful people who were like, ‘Yeah, we barely made it through on that one.’”
Clooney has said he finds the movie so motivating to watch and wishes everyone could see the way Joe pulls himself up and doesn’t let anything in the past define him. I could tell that the cast and directors tried to put a nostalgic feel on this movie, by making this classic feel good sports story, that emulates classic stories where the little guys fight to the top.
Overall, this was an amazing film that will have viewers leaving the theater motivated and satisfied. The thoughtful cinematography and amazing characterization and acting make this a must-watch and a possible classic underdog story for years to come. By the time the credits roll, viewers will want to head onto the water themselves.
