‘The Boys in the Boat’ Review: True Tale Of Resilient Rowers Finds Heart In Traditional Sports Drama

Ask anyone about the 1936 Olympics and they’ll likely reference Jesse Owens as one of the greatest athletes of all time. His four gold medals symbolized phenomenal success in the face of adversity, while Hitler’s grip strengthened over a world already suffering. In George Clooney‘s latest film, The Boys In The Boat, Owens (Jyuddah Jaymes) shortly appears as a courageous battle cry before the Games commence to highlight the disastrous state of race relations and socioeconomic affairs back in the US. Underdog stories like Owens’ distracted those from the grueling hardships during The Great Depression, uniting and uplifting a disheartened people. Radio shows, the most popular form of entertainment at the time, connected and rallied listeners with an equally valiant tale that summer of a University of Washington rowing team- an extremely popular sport back then, too- looking to bring home the gold. This adaptation of Daniel James Brown’s 2013 bestselling book, The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, illustrates the heart and resilience of these college boys-turned-national heroes and how their persistent spirit captivated millions of families back home. Though relying on established tropes from other sports movies, it’s the perfect entertaining, feel-good movie to enjoy this holiday season. 

The film, like the book’s point of view, begins through the eyes of an older Joe Rantz, one of the nine ‘Boys,’ fondly remembering the glory days as his grandson now tries his hand at rowing. Flashing back to the mid-’30s takes a dark turn with younger Joe, the stately Callum Turner, floundering while looking for a paying job of any kind. He’s committed to his studies at Washington after his father and stepmother abandoned him growing up, adamant to provide a more stable life for himself. So when he’s given two weeks’ notice to pay the rest of the semester’s tuition, he shows up to one last job opportunity with one fairly difficult qualification: beat out nearly a hundred other guys to make one of eight spots on the men’s rowing team. It becomes a days-long test of physical and mental endurance that he’s determined to overcome to keep his educational standing. When asked if he likes rowing, he replies, “Well, I’m getting a job out of it. And a room, so I guess.” His independence conditioned an unbreakable stamina that proved successful time and again, feeding an underdog narrative even before he knew he was living one.

General broad strokes steer the movie’s main victories; look too closely, and you’ll find yourself buying a copy of the book to fill the gaps from unanswered questions. From here on out, the financial worry mostly fades away to focus on suspenseful practice montages for important qualifying races. The job Joe needs is never directly addressed (“I’m sure it will [cover your tuition],” Coach Al assures him), but the image of the boys’ worn boot soles is repeated as a potent reminder of their trials and tribulations on land. But even then, their limited free time is occupied by blossoming, carefree love lives. Joe is courted by fellow engineering student and former elementary school crush Joyce Simdars (Hadley Robinson), who gleefully tracks his achievements by his side (the film misses a beat in failing to mention their later happy 63-year marriage). Their Tony-Maria-esque sweet romance unfolds to mirror the traditional values of the era; their first kiss doesn’t happen until well after the halfway mark. To this extent, the film’s PG-13 rating (for language and smoking) even feels harsh but still guarantees a family-friendly outing for its Christmas Day release. On the other hand, there’s a completely different version of this movie that would’ve enticed the teen pop audiences that flocked in droves for other suave stars like Jacob Elordi, Austin Butler, or Timothée Chalamet. 

The team’s winning streak accelerates them to relative stardom, providing rich opportunities and a better way of life. Their unexpected yet repeated triumph against the most prestigious Ivy League crews becomes yet another hurdle to overcome. Is their success sustainable or a fluke? The school’s athletic board is sent into a tizzy, and rowing committees unfairly change rules to deter the junior team from continuing on. But this is exactly what exhilarated audiences then and assuredly will now. Multiple montages showcase Desplat’s brassy, sprightly score. Big Band orchestrations parallel the boys’ intense motion in unison, a precise cadence that tests their ability to act and survive as one unit. The air feels thick with tension thanks to Tanya Swerling’s tight editing, Martin Ruhe’s repeated close-ups, and the complex yet sometimes tricky sound work. Eventually, your heart syncs with each stroke, drumming harder and faster, keeping you on edge until you see them cross the finish line.

Quieter moments in between the races allow the actors to reveal their characters’ more sensitive personalities. The boys’ camaraderie brightens the screen while Joe spends his remaining free time with George Pocock, the team’s boat maker. George (Peter Guinness) emerges as a stand-in fatherly figure and successfully breaks down Joe’s hardened exterior. Even a more conventional, repressed norm of masculinity embraces Callum’s tender vulnerability in Joe’s subtle growth. He also finds a mentor in Coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton), who pushes him, either despite or because of their class differences. Edgerton modestly balances Al’s no-nonsense work ethic with an equally empathetic love for these athletes as he does his supportive wife. The film’s success hinges on how well these two contrasting storylines- the intense races and the distressed humans behind them- intertwine, especially if you’ve read the book or know the team’s eventual outcome. And despite a somewhat cookie-cutter framework, it’s hard not to get invested in the charm of their rags-to-riches story.

Everything builds to the final moments at the ‘36 Olympics, personally for the team and the training they have endured but also as a nation in showing solidarity for this symbol of light amidst such darkness. Yet, the road ahead means the formidable task of entering Nazi Germany and performing on the biggest stage possible. The stakes are incredibly high, but a visual discrepancy that lacks an expected palpable urgency contrasts with how the book delves into the horrific history of the Nazis meddling in the Games in order to cover up their simultaneous persecution of millions with Aryan propaganda. A nearly unspoken appearance by Hitler does little to intensify the challenges the filmmakers have already framed to create a rousing photo finish you won’t want to miss.

The nine rowers from Washington were more than just a team. These athletes, along with the Games, provided respite by instilling hope and the possibility of defeating an evil across a world divided. The Boys in the Boat channels their hard work, bravery, and tenacity to honor their true story worthy of regard among other memorable motivational sports films like Chariots of Fire or A League of Their Own. Clooney has tackled both underdog sports tales and WWII dramas in the director’s chair and in front of the camera, so it feels intuitive for him to marry the two and imbue a group of talented, charming stars with the magnetic charisma for which he is so beloved. They lay it all out on the water to create a movie audiences will undoubtedly champion as one of the most uplifting of the year.

Grade: B

The Boys In The Boat is being distributed by Amazon MGM Studios and opens wide December 25 only in theaters.

Photo: Laurie Sparham / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures