Nyad, 2023.
Directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi.
Starring Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans, Luke Cosgrove, Karly Rothenberg, Jeena Yi, Anna Harriette Pittman, Eric T. Miller, Garland Scott, Johnny Solo, Marcus Young, Erica Cho, Ethan Jones Romero, Lilo Grunwald, and Marcella Acuña Báez.
SYNOPSIS:
It tells the remarkable true story of athlete Diana Nyad who, at the age of 60 and with the help of her best friend and coach, commits to achieving her life-long dream: a 110-mile open ocean swim from Cuba to Florida.
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Nyad wouldn’t exist.
Functioning as an uplifting crowdpleaser preaching the encouragement of chasing one’s dreams regardless of old age, past trauma, seemingly impossible circumstances, repeated close call failures, and a crash course understanding in marathon swimming, respected documentary filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi being drawn to Nyad for their first narrative feature biopic makes sense, given their pensions for shining a light on why daredevils set out to accomplish extremely physically taxing goals.
For those unaware, Diana Nyad (an undeniably impressive physical showcase for Annette Bening, even if the rest of her performance feels a bit too melodramatic and flashy) decided that, at 61 years old, she would return to finish what she started 30 years ago pushing her body to the absolute limit, swimming from Cuba to Florida, a task that would take upwards of over 48 hours, with various elements of life-threatening danger. Her strongest form of support came from lifelong friend Bonnie Stoll (a terrific Jodie Foster awarded much more nuance and layers to work with beyond a single-minded focus on a specific achievement), also her coach for this seemingly impossible quest, as no one quite knew how to get inside Diana’s mind like her for motivation while for motivation.
Together, they bring aboard Josh Bartlett (Rhys Ifan) to study the weather, plot a course, and choose the safest time regarding whether for this craziness, torn between supporting Diana or merely tolerating her risky behavior, becoming increasingly convinced it can’t be done considering something seems to go wrong every time. Their part in the actual marathon swim is to follow Diana in a small boat, ensuring that her life is not in immediate danger and knowing when to jump in and pull her back on the boat, effectively calling it quits for an attempt.
The documentarians make the questionable decision to stay grounded in their roots, occasionally inserting footage of the real Diana Nyad that feels unnecessary. They also have a tacky grasp on conveying her history of sexual trauma through flashbacks that gradually build up to the horrifying incident juxtaposed with her unwavering determination in the water. The script from Julia Cox is serviceable at hitting the important beats of the story but struggles to dive into any specific area beyond the bullet points for inspiration.
Thankfully, the filmmakers also seem to realize this, strictly focusing on attempt after attempt of this personal goal while allowing two veteran actresses to elevate the material. Again, Jodie Foster is outstanding, gradually becoming more conflicted on what to do as her friend refuses to give up, insisting on preparing and chancing death again upon failure (there are sharks, jellyfish, hypothermia, sleep deprivation, hallucinations, and more to contend with along each journey.) The performances carry Nyad across the finish line for an emotional climax that does feel earned. However, there is no shaking the thought that maybe Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi should have stayed in their documentary wheelhouse to tell this tale of raw resolve.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
