Wednesday, February 3, 2016

The Finest Hours

One of the things I love most about living in my new house is that I am now close enough to my family to participate in their spontaneous dinner and a movie nights!  Last night we saw The Finest Hours which I might not necessarily have seen on my own.  I'm glad my sister suggested it because I ended up really enjoying it.  The movie tells the real-life story of a 1952 Coast Guard rescue operation which saved 32 men from a tanker that had split in two during a massive winter storm off Cape Cod and to say that it is intense would be an understatement.  There are so many elements which contribute to the tension.  The engineer on board the damaged SS Pendleton, Raymond Sybert (Casey Affleck), is an antisocial introvert who must take control of the survivors amidst vocal opposition from a few who want to launch a lifeboat.  Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana), the commanding officer of the Coast Guard station, is perceived as an outsider who doesn't understand the treacherous weather and his decision to send a crew is perceived by many as a suicide mission.  Bernie Webber (Chris Pine), the captain appointed to lead the rescue operation, is tormented by his previous failure to save another vessel and takes many risks, including continuing on even after the compass has been destroyed.  Adding to the suspense is the fact that the majority of the Coast Guard's available resources have already been deployed to help another crippled tanker leaving only a small wooden lifeboat to transport 32 survivors.  I was on the edge of my seat!  The only storyline that didn't really work for me was the framing device depicting the romance between Bernie and Miriam (Holliday Grainger) and her efforts to get the mission called back.  In fact, I was less engaged whenever the story moved from the sea back to land, but the incredible special effects at sea, both practical and CGI, definitely kept me riveted to the screen, especially when the small lifeboat crashed through the waves.  The cinematography is so immersive that I sometimes felt like the waves were crashing into me!  Pine, in an uncharacteristically low-key role, and Affleck give great performances which drew me in and made me care about their plight (my Mom covered her eyes whenever they were in peril).  This is a typical man overcoming the elements movie but I would recommend it for the compelling story, great special effects, and affecting performances.

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