The Boys in the Boat Review: Rowing for Glory

Based on the incredible true story of the 1936 U.S. Olympic rowing team, The Boys in the Boat marks acclaimed actor George Clooney’s return to the director’s chair. Known for Hollywood hits like Ocean’s Eleven as well as critically praised films like Good Night and Good Luck, Clooney brings his talent for balancing entertainment and social commentary to this Depression-era sports drama. It follows a ragtag group of working-class college athletes as they overcome the odds to compete on rowing’s biggest stage.

On paper, the movie sounds like a pretty typical underdog tale. And in many ways, it hits the usual uplifting notes. But between Clooney’s steady direction, the gorgeous visuals, and a stellar cast headed by Callum Turner and Joel Edgerton, The Boys in the Boat makes its familiar story feel fresh. It ultimately succeeds by using the reliable framework of an inspirational sports movie to tell a profoundly human story about struggle, brotherhood, and achieving the impossible.

So while you can expect plenty of the heroes-overcoming-adversity scenes the genre is known for, Clooney and company breathe new life into them. At its core, this is an old-fashioned triumph-of-the-human-spirit fable that outperforms expectations. It’s not rewriting the sports movie playbook, but it makes following that playbook seem thrilling nonetheless.

Beating the Odds on the Water

Our protagonist is a down-on-his-luck college kid named Joe Rantz. It’s the middle of the Great Depression, and Joe is barely scraping by at the University of Washington. With his family gone and money tight, making rent and buying books feels impossible. But Joe gets a lifeline when he tries out for the school’s rowing team. Sure, he’s never touched an oar in his life. Yet the team offers room and board—something an empty-pocketed student like Joe desperately needs.

After a sweat-filled training camp, Joe snags a spot on the junior varsity squad. Now he needs to bond with his eclectic teammates, like Bobby the loudmouth coxswain and Don the gentle giant. Because their stern coach Al Brickson doesn’t just want them to row. He wants them to row together, working in absolute unison.

Easier said than done. But slowly, the boys start to find their rhythm, winning race after race. Before they know it, they’ve qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Hitler’s Berlin. Talk about intimidating. Yet Bobby’s motormouth keeps spirits high as Don’s humble leadership binds them tighter.

Staring down elite East Coast crews and cutthroat German athletes, Joe and the boys seem woefully outmatched. But Al’s drills have tightened their brotherly bond and perfected their precision. As they slice through the water in graceful harmony, jaws drop at this pack of undersized underdogs from the Pacific Northwest.

In those tense Olympic moments, it’s not about the odds. It’s about how bad Joe and the rest of the boys want it. How deeply they need it—for their school, their families, and their futures. That desire makes them unbeatable.

United By Brotherhood

On the surface, The Boys in the Boat utilizes the familiar sports movie blueprint of underdog grit and determination. But peer deeper, and you’ll discover some thoughtful themes that give the story extra resonance.

At its core, this is a paean to unity and teamwork. Joe and his ragtag rowing pack don’t succeed through individual talent. Rather, their greatness springs from a sense of absolute trust and selflessness. Silently communicating through labored breaths and rippling arm muscles, they morph into a single unstoppable organism. This “poetry in motion” perfectly symbolizes overcoming daunting odds through unbreakable camaraderie.

The themes unpack deeper layers too. Clooney explores socioeconomic divisions, pitting Joe’s salt-of-the-earth crew against the old-money Ivy League establishment. As the boys defy the sports world’s privileged elite, it’s hard not to view their upset victory through a wider 1930s lens. One sees them embodying America’s resilience through its Darkest Depression days, refusing to stay down no matter the punch.

This symbolism grows heavier when the team reaches Hitler’s Berlin. Rowing towards the specter of swastika flags and Nazi salutes, Joe’s humble band represent democracy, diversity, and human decency. The contrast couldn’t be starker. Yet while this villain backdrop adds gravitas, its exploration feels somewhat surface-level. We get villainous sneers from Hitler but not a complex confrontation with fascism’s sinister ideology.

Still, by channeling themes of unity, equality, and the human capacity to overcome, The Boys in the Boat taps into something more meaningful than just thrilling sports drama. It celebrates the bonds that lift people up in their hardest moments—whether rowing races or navigating life’s unforeseen rapids.

Sights and Sounds That Immerse

In the director’s chair, Clooney makes it clear he didn’t just phone this one in. From framing to filters, his polished style and sharp eye shine through. Nowhere more so than in the rowing scenes. As oars slice through rippling water at bone-rattling speeds, Clooney’s cameras capture every grunt, splash, and sinewy flex. Plunging right into the action, his in-your-face angles and seamless editing communicate the race’s intense dynamism. Before you know it, you’re perched behind Bobby the coxswain, neck craning with the boys towards the elusive finish line.

It’s not all breakneck motion though. Clooney slows things down too, allowing lyrical montages where the wooden boats drift across misty lakes straight out of an Impressionist painting. Back on land, a warm sepia tint oozes nostalgia in a romantic subplot involving Joe and a sweet local girl. And the costumes faithfully recreate Depression-era fashion down to Don’s expertly tousled hair.

By the climax, the visual language reflects the narrative stakes. As Joe strokes for Olympic gold, a glowering Hitler watches from an imposing grandstand draped in ominous swastikas. Yet try as it might for gravitas, this showdown between rowing’s finest and fascist evil feels more extreme cinema than lived human experience.

But quibbles aside, between the kinetic race scenes and transportive period atmosphere, Clooney & co. have crafted a visually sumptuous sports saga. One where sights and sounds don’t just support the story—they immerse you in it.

Performances That Make You Care

What takes The Boys in the Boat from solid to standout are the performances. As leading man Joe Rantz, Callum Turner seems born to portray early 20th century American grit. With blond hair framing a hollow-cheeked face, his Joe projects quiet gallantry. We sense the sad secrets in his eyes and the sinewy strength coiling in his limbs. Most of all, Turner captures Joe’s soul – humble but bursting with heart, vulnerable yet viciously uncompromising.

As Coach Ulbrickson, Joel Edgerton eschews the shouty authoritarian. Yes, he’s tough – whipping subpar athletes into callused warriors. But behind his steely gaze, we feel genuine care and wisdom. These boys need a teacher as much as a taskmaster, and Edgerton movingly walks that tightrope.

The supporting rowers admittedly lack distinction, coming off more as avatars of amateur athletic spirit than fully-realized humans. It’s a missed opportunity to evolve the ensemble beyond bold typecasts like The Brash One or The Quiet Powerhouse. A flimsy romantic subplot involving Joe and a campus sweetheart suffers the same fate, though rising star Hadley Robinson brings warmth to the underwritten role.

Mostly though, flaws feel forgivable when the lead performances shine so brightly. Because Turner and Edgerton make you believe in Joe, Ulbrickson, and the magnificent quest they share, it’s easy to invest in each skull-busting setback and ossifying triumph. In the end, though obsessed with heroic feats, it’s the humility and humanity that linger – brought breathtakingly to life by two actors at the top of their game.

Shortfalls That Don’t Fully Sink It

For all its rousing moments, The Boys in the Boat isn’t flawless. At times, its formulaic sports movie bones peek through the triumphant flesh.

As covered earlier, Clooney lays symbolism on thick by contrasting our working-class heroes against German athletic titans and spectating supervillains like Hitler and Goebbels. But beyond cartoonish glares, the Nazi threat feels more set-dressing than genuinely explored substance.

This grab at gravitas reflects a broader tendency for distracting cameos and superficial incorporation of real-life events. A brief appearance by track superstar Jesse Owens sees him offer words of wisdom so ham-fisted they feel plucked from an SNL sketch. It exemplifies the film’s uneven oscillation between playful innocence and meaningful social commentary.

There’s also the uneven supporting cast, who pale beside fully-realized leads Joe and Coach Ulbrickson. And an undercooked romantic subplot that seems torn from the cut-and-paste sports movie playbook.

Yet it feels a tad unfair to dwell on blemishes when the meat of the story works so well. Could the plot use more complexity and intrigue? Sure. Would some secondary characters benefit from added dimension? No doubt. Nevertheless, measured against its sports drama peers, you’ll find The Boys In The Boat near the prestige end of the spectrum. Held aloft by Clooney’s assured directorial hand, it’s a triumph your average entertainment-craving viewer won’t think twice about celebrating.

The Final Stroke

Like its undersized heroes clawing towards the finish line, The Boys in the Boat doesn’t quite achieve record-shattering greatness. Yet it outpaces expectations, out-muscling the average inspirational sports flick with polished filmmaking and profound heart.

Sure, critics can quibble about thinly-drawn characters and emotional manipulation. But really, it’s no more formulaic than your archetypal underdog tale. Instead, Clooney elevates the familiar framework with thoughtful themes, visual splendor, and passionate performances.

So I wholeheartedly recommend The Boys in the Boat to unapologetic sports nuts hungry for another rousing addition to their watch list. Rowers in particular will revel in the athletic realism and hard-fought triumph.

More casual viewers might occasionally glaze over at all the training montages and technical race details. However, the film’s important place in Olympics lore and standout acting should reel most back in. Not to mention the sweeping cinematography and polished period styling.

Ultimately, this is an old-school studio drama honoring a watershed sports memory while tugging familiar heartstrings. It might not resonate as seminal cinema, but it doesn’t need to. Like Joe staring down impossible odds, The Boys in the Boat valiantly outpaces expectations to deliver a timeless crowd-pleaser.