Woman a rousing tale of empowerment
It was referred to as “The hardest test in all of sport.” Only five men had succeeded in accomplishing the feat and 12 others had perished in their attempts. To describe the conditions surrounding this challenge as “brutal” would be a vast understatement, the weather everchanging and the temperatures frigid. Yet, none of this proved daunting enough for Trudy Ederle as she stepped into water of the English Channel on Aug. 6, 1928, as she attempted to become the first woman to swim the treacherous 21-mile stretch of open water. At the time, the air temperature was 56 degrees. The water temperature was 55.
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 20th 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
John Allman is in the midst of a massive pity party. The aging rock star’s latest album – a comeback project, mind you- has landed with a resounding thud. Critics are not impressed, the public ain’t buying it, and he’s not taking his agent's calls. He’s crept off to Cyprus to lick his wounds and drown his troubles in cheap wine. As my wife would say, “He needs to call the Wahmbulance! Dial 9-Wah-Wah.”
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.