Young Woman and the Sea – A Throwback Sports Drama

Based on the book by Glenn Stout, Young Woman and the Sea is the extraordinary true story of the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. Trudy Ederle (Ridley) was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905 and with the steadfast support of her older sister Margaret (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) and supportive trainers, she overcomes adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete a 21 mile trek from France to England, making history in the process. While it may not reinvent the sports genre, it offers audiences an inspirational, uplifting, and feel good story that couldn’t have come out at a better or more appropriate time.

The film has a very old fashioned approach reminiscent of the Disney sports classics of yesteryear which in turn, makes it easy to admire because of its earnestness and sincerity. The true story that forms the basis of the story is undeniably inspiring, even more so for those unfamiliar with Ederle’s life story as there are quite a few rousing, applause-worthy moments throughout that would’ve been better served in a packed theatre with a big crowd. Amelia Warner’s score is absolutely fantastic and only adds to the film’s more emotional and intense moments, making them that much more impactful. The swimming sequences may not break new ground by any means but are well-filmed and entertaining to watch. Ultimately, Ridley gives another wonderful and endearing performance that ranks up there with her best, and is the main reason to watch as she throws herself into this role, especially the swimming sequences. Meanwhile, she is backed up by a solid supporting cast featuring the likes of Graham (Bill Burgess), Christopher Eccleston (Jabez Wolffe), and Glenn Fleshler (James Sullivan). However, it’s Cobham-Hervey who steals the show as Margaret, giving it even more heart and warmth.

That being said, it does take a little some time to get into Young Woman and the Sea as its the first act is a little choppy. Jumping around quite a lot, it comes off as a bit of a mess. It merely rushes through key moments of Trudy’s life, spending barely any time on them. Lacking in focus, it eventually comes to a certain point where it starts to settle down, even though it goes on for a little longer than it probably should have as a result of some uneven pacing. As uplifting as it may be, it doesn’t change the fact that it is simply yet another conventional and formulaic sports biopic that includes just about every trope and cliché one can think of. Even those unfamiliar with the source material can likely predict every direction the story goes, making it less exciting and thrilling to watch. Though clearly not this film’s fault, the similarities in story to last year’s NYAD will lead to inevitable comparisons between both films. In terms of that debate, Young Woman and the Sea is the better of the two, and much more heartfelt.

At the end of the day, while Young Woman and the Sea falls just short of greatness, it is a solid film worth recommending to any fans of old school Disney sports movies, or really anyone who just likes seeing uplifting true stories on screen. Though it’s awesome that Disney gave the film a 2-week limited theatrical release (back at the end of May in the United States) so it could possibly contend for awards next year, but in the end, it is better suited as a made for streaming film best enjoyed at home. Check it out once it hits Disney + tomorrow.

still courtesy of Disney

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/