THE BOYS IN THE BOAT

The true story about the University of Washington's junior varsity rowing team who defied the odds by not only beating their counterpart collegiate athletes but also went to Berlin during the 1936 Olympics to compete for a gold medal. For the time period, the film shows the socioeconomic struggles the team has to endure to survive, both on and off the water. Rowing is considered more of an East Coast sport where the likes of Yale and Harvard not only have monetary advantages but have also been engaged in the sport longer, as it's part of that cultural more than it is on the West Coast. The film follows Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, a college student studying engineering who was orphaned at the age of 14 and lives in an abandoned and dilapidated car off campus. In need of money to continue his education as he's behind on his tuition, he and his best friend Roger Morris (Sam Strike) join the team in hopes of making it but not for the reasons you'd think. They're promised housing and a job upon selection. The film simultaneously features a love story between Joe and Joyce Simdars (Hadley Robinson), who Joe has had a crush on since the 4th grade. Overall, this is a play-it-safe, paint-by-numbers sports underdog story we've seen numerous times. Nothing new or exceptional stands out except Robinson's Joyce, who has a lot of spunk and chases Joe around more than he does her. I will also applaud director George Clooney and MGM for resisting the urge to cater to the small but vocal crowd who were trashing this film from the trailer alone due to a lack of "diversity." Clooney obviously went with historical accuracy and facts over feelings and I wish more in Hollywood would follow that example. 5.5/10