An empowering, true-life story and a pleasant rom-com

Woman a rousing tale of empowerment

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Joachim Ronning’s Young Woman and the Sea recounts the events leading up to this incredible accomplishment, and is both an inspiring biopic as well as a vivid reminder of the stratified era of sports we lived with a mere 100 years ago. Sporting a consistently astonishing production design, as well as a stirring performance from Daisy Ridley, this Disney production hits every inspirational beat you expect it to but does so with a sense of conviction worthy of its inspirational heroine.

Ederle was raised in New York City, the daughter of German immigrants, during the early part of the 20^th century. And while her father sustained the household with his income as a butcher, it was her mother, Gertrude (Jeanette Hain), who ruled the roost, her steely strength and determination qualities Trudy (Ridley) and her sister, Margaret (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), would come to emulate.

This would prove necessary for them to succeed in the arena they ultimately find themselves in. At this time, women’s sports were frowned upon, seen as much as a novelty as a dangerous proposition. Supposing that women’s hearts might explode if these delicate creatures were to overexert themselves, they faced an uphill battle in their efforts to compete and for recognition.

The script by Jeff Nathanson, based on the book by Glenn Stout, is constructed like most sports movies, as it recounts Ederle’s early struggles, her initial successes, later setbacks and ultimate triumph with clockwork precision. Yet, it’s the inclusion of the social injustices female athletes had to contend with that proves not only inspirational but fascinating. These dual narrative hooks prove irresistible, the story sweeping us away despite the familiarity of the narrative.

Ederle proves equally fascinating, her determination and stalwart nature genuinely inspiring. What she and her teammates on the 1924 Olympics team had to endure seems hard to believe while the petty nature of the men whose paths she crosses seems all too familiar. The boorish James Sullivan (Glenn Flesher), head of the Olympic Committee, masks his chauvinism with an air of concern for the health of Ederle and her peers, while the coach Trudy is saddled with, Jabez Wolffe (Christopher Eccelstein), goes out of his way to thwart her efforts, jealous of her success.

Ridley is wonderful here, the actress finally getting a role she can sink her teeth into as well as display the quiet strength she so capably projects. She demands our attention when she appears on the screen, drawing us in with her ability to convey the character’s sense of determination with a glance or grin. Yet, there’s a vulnerability present as well, Ridley and all concerned sure to show Ederle’s fear. Her determination to overcome this makes her feats all the more impressive. In the end, Woman is a testament to a nearly forgotten athlete who blazed trails for women long before they were born, her legacy extending long after she lived. Streaming on Disney+.

Familiar Falling scratches a familiar itch

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Yeah, it’s a bit hard to have any pity for the guy, but thanks to a charming, self-effacing performance from Harry Connick Jr., this prima donna turns out not to be half bad, which helps save Stelana Kliris’ Find Me Falling, a rom-com that is pedestrian in construction but at times inspired in its execution. Taking a page from the Adam Sandler playbook, the film’s Mediterranean setting not only give the cast a magical place to toil at the arduous work of filmmaking but also provides the proper romantic setting for this a-bit-better-than-Hallmark production.

One would think moving to such a gorgeous locale would be a joyful, exciting event. Yet, Allman runs into nothing but bad luck, finding out far too late that the cliff upon which his modest home sits is a popular site for suicides. He finds this out the hard way when, soon after arriving, he sees a troubled young man take his own life. The local police chief, Manoli (Tony Demetriou), fills Allman in on this as well as many of the other local eccentrics and customs. He introduces him to, among others, Sia (Agni Scott), a surgeon who happens to be his old flame.

Then there’s the case of Melina (Ali Fumiko Whitney), a singer who bears a strong resemblance to Sia and…well, if you’ve seen only three movies in your lifetime you can predict early on just how these three are connected. Yes, these circumstances are obvious and a bit forced, but Kliris and her cast employ a breezy, light-hearted approach that makes it all go down easily.

Much like the recent Fly Me to the Moon, Kliris’ film attempts to be all things to all viewers, occasionally funny and at times serious, sitting atop a romantic foundation bolstered by the theme of redemption. On paper, this seems like a plate-spinner’s nightmare, but when all elements are executed sincerely, a bit of magic occurs. The laughs are well-earned but more importantly, so are the poignant moments, the director careful never to pour the sentiment on too thick.

While Falling is far from a classic, like Moon as well as the other recent Netflix production, A Family Affair, it fulfills a need, providing a pleasant enough diversion amidst the myriads of dross cluttering the airwaves. More times than not, it works, a pleasant enough 90-minute time-filler that will provide a chuckle or two and maybe a couple “aww” moments. Sometimes, that’s all you need. Streaming on Netflix.