The remarkable true story of athlete Diana Nyad who, at the age of 60 and with the help of her best friend and coach, commits to achieving her life-long dream: a 110-mile open ocean swim from Cuba...
It’s uncommon to see a film completely nail the ins and outs of a complex female friendship, but “Nyad” features one of the more authentic portrayals I’ve seen in a long time. This rousing movie is touching, inspiring, and entertaining, even if co-directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi tend to embellish the true story on which its based.
Decades after her retirement from the sport, 60 year old former professional athlete Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) decides that she is ready to attempt her lifelong dream: to swim 110 miles from Cuba to Florida. It’s a feat she tried in her twenties (that ended in failure) and this time, Diana wants to swim nonstop without a shark cage in order to earn the distinction of being the first person to actually complete the task. Her best friend and coach Bonnie (Jodie Foster) thinks she’s crazy, but fully supports her endeavor and does everything she can to help with the training and logistics. This epic quest becomes a multi-year journey filled with setbacks, health scares, and the formation of lifelong friendships.
This is the first narrative feature from Chin and Vasarhelyi, who previously have worked making documentaries (“Free Solo,” “Meru”). They lean heavily on archival video clips and voiceover that uses old news interviews from Nyad when she was younger and as a result, the film sometimes feels doc-like. Despite some elements that may take viewers out of the story, the fictionalized aspects are mostly well done.
It’s commendable to find a movie with such meaty roles for female actors over 60, and Bening and Foster give strong turns. While is astonishing how much Bening trained for the physically demanding role, the real MVP award belongs to the incredibly strong supporting cast. Foster is the brightest spot here, lending an authentic feel as a tireless cheerleader to her best friend. The relationship between the two women is well-written and authentic, and everyone should be so lucky to have a Bonnie in their life. The other biggest surprise is Rhys Ifans and his understated turn as navigator John Bartlett. I’m surprised to be saying this, but Foster and Ifans give two of my favorite supporting performances of the year.
While Nyad’s attempt to swim the Florida to Cuba route is thrilling, the movie is extremely repetitive with scene after scene after scene of swimming. She’s almost always in the water, and the constant replay is tiring. Luckily, the heart of the story is about the support and love from Bonnie, and how one friend’s devotion can make or break the chance to achieve your dreams.
Chin and Vasarhelyi manage to make the planning and technical aspects of the swim fun and interesting, from shark evasion plans and navigating the dangerous currents to designing a jellyfish-proof mask that could be the difference between life and death. Of course, there is obvious embellishment for dramatic effect, including corny attempts at action scenes to build empty excitement and cheesy, emotionally stirring moments designed to make audiences stand up and cheer. This is an inspirational sports movie about refusing to accept defeat, after all.
“Nyad” is not only the story of a woman who pushes the limits thrust upon her by an ageist society, but it’s also one of a truly beautiful friendship. This is a meaningful, enjoyable, feel-good film about a person determined to prove the naysayers wrong by attempting a remarkable athletic feat.
