Disney is no stranger to feel-good sports films. I have a list of my favorites, which, of course, include Remember the Titans, Cool Runnings, A League of Their Own, and King Richard, among others. There is some predictability, but the journey is well worth it. After this week’s screening, there is no hesitation in adding Young Woman and the Sea to that list. It is an incredible story told with such passion and care that it praises not only the athlete the film is about but also women’s sports.
Young Woman and the Sea is a feel-good movie about swimming, which I hadn’t seen much before last year’s Nyad. We know the outcome, but the film is still inspiring and emotional. Disney’s Young Woman and the Sea is the extraordinary true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel successfully. Director Joachim Rønning (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) highlights the accomplished swimmer without leaving out the heart of her family and those who helped her achieve her goals. The film is written by Jeff Nathanson and is based on the book Young Woman and the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World by Glenn Stout. The film stars Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) as Trudy – an actor whose smile radiates through the screen and whose charisma and perfectly timed quips make for a character you want to root for.
Born to immigrant parents, the daughter of a German butcher from Manhattan in 1905, Trudy knew she was different from the other girls at an early age. Through the steadfast support of her older sister Margaret (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), mother (Jeanette Hain), and supportive trainers, Trudy overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team. She was a competitive swimmer who won gold in the 1924 Olympics and completed the staggering achievement of swimming across the English Channel – a 21-mile trek from France to England.
Trudy was a force to be reckoned with. As a sick child who was supposed to die, she pulled through and found a passion for swimming, a pastime that was harmful to her Measles diagnosis. But this film not only spotlights her as a hero to her peers but also highlights the other women in her life who can also be called heroes in this story, her mother, sister, and swim coach. In a patriarchal society where men don’t want to see women succeed or go beyond their station, the women in this film highlight the best qualities and bring out the best in each other.
Trudy’s mother, Gertrud, was adamant that her girls would not be ones to drown in a ferry crossing or scared to make a difference. When Trudy was in the middle of the English Channel crossing, tired, and felt like giving up, it was her sister Margaret who aided her in the long swim and jumped into the cold waters with her to keep her energy going. When men wanted to see her fail, it was Trudy’s swim coach who taught her the “American Crawl,” aka “freestyle” stroke and encouraged her to use it to swim the channel. The female relationships were a positive force within Young Woman and the Sea. Seeing a solid mother-daughter AND father-daughter relationship in a Disney film is rare. But, we also see a touching sisterly bond and a strong female coach and athlete relationship.
Great things were happening not only in front of the camera but behind as well. Leave it to producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean) to give us such a great ocean story where the water is an essential background character that adds so much to the story. There are not enough explosions for a Bruckheimer film, but I will let it slide. The cinematography was incredible – the ocean shots, the use of close-ups, and the wide shots of ocean waters, to name a few. Cinematographer Oscar Faura (The Impossible) knows his way around a good water shot.
This film is not only about athleticism at the highest caliber but also a real movement in women’s sports. It’s inspiring no matter where you are from or what you find passion in. The movie made me think about how much I love playing soccer. It will make you think about how much you love something and what you are willing to risk for it! Passion is a significant theme in Young Woman and the Sea. To have a passion and be able to execute it is one of the best feelings. With great acting and great visuals, overall, Young Woman and the Sea is a fantastic, inspiring, emotional film. In a world where everything is a dumpster fire, we are fortunate when gems like this make it to the theater.
Young Woman and the Sea will arrive in theaters on May 31, 2024.
