What begins as a cosy teatime drama becomes something far more compelling. I never knew the outcome of the tale before watching, and if you are in the same boat as me, I suggest you avoid spoilers to retain your interest in this real-life story.

I know that this film was based on a real story but I fail to understand the point. I guess that I was not familiar with the story and was expecting something entirely different. Watching this film felt like watching paint dry. The only part of the film that I was able to appreciate was the very last bit before the end credits.

I can’t decide, is this a tale of hubris and its consequence, or is this a tale of slow madness? Whatever it is, it is elegantly told with poignant performances. It is a sad story, even more so because it is a telling of an actual event for which we will never know the actual thoughts of a man who spent 7 months and 2 days alone on the seas. As the movie does, we can only speculate. I give this film a 7 (good) out of 10. [Drama based on a true event]

****A sad tale slowly told****
It's easy to see what attracted Firth, Weisz, Thewlis et al to the movie.
It is very 1960s and it captures the period well. It's also a very interesting tale.

The main problem probably lies with the direction or possible the editing. Many scenes are drawn out to the point where you want to reach for the Fast Forward button. They're aiming for tension and suspense but it just doesn't work and makes viewing tedious.

Another problem is that once you've got the gist of the story, most of the subsequent events are a repetition of what's gone before so you've both repetition and tediousness. Okay, it's not quite as bad as that might make it sound and the actors elevate it to watchable status. If you like tales of the sea or the actors, give it a whirl but you won't be missing much if you decide not to.


My Score: 3/10.