First Hit: This long film attempted to highlight an amazing true story about a rescue made by the Coast Guard.
This is based on the true 1952 story where two oil tankers broke apart off of Cape Code in a huge storm.
Chris Pine, as Bernie Webber, is a follow the rules member of the Coast Guard. He’s quiet and introspective. He’s lacks outward confidence as shown in the first scene where he meets Miriam (Holliday Grainger) a woman he’s only written and spoken to.
Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) is the engine room seaman on one of the oil tankers. He does not get much respect from the rest of the crew because he is so focused on the ship. However, they end up turning to him for survival after the ship breaks up.
The film very slowly unwinds with the group of seasoned Coast Guard team has little confidence that Bernie is a good enough captain. No one makes it “over the bar” in heavy stormy seas, yet Bernie attempts and makes it.
The tanker crew turns to Sybert because he’s the only one committed to saving them all as a group. The film is about the rescue, about self-belief, confidence and romance.
Pine played this part in such a way that I did not find him very interesting or compelling. I did find Grainger’s character interesting and driven. Affleck was far more compelling in his role and I was engaged watching his role play out. Rachel Brosnahan as Bea Hansen a fisherman’s wife to also be very engaging. Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy wrote this adequate screenplay. I’m not sure whether is was the screenplay, actors or direction of Craig Gillespie that was the cause of this film dragging, although once the rescue actually begins, it gets better.
Overall: Unfortunately I’m not sure the compelling real story came through in this film.