Nyad – Review
121 Minutes, Rated PG-13
Written by Julia Cox
Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
**NOTE: this post may be updated with audio once we actually have the chance to talk about it. Until then, you can read Mark’s review below. Remember, though, you can listen to all our discussions of this and every other movie directly over on ACAST. Stay tuned.**
Synopsis:
A remarkable true story of tenacity, friendship and the triumph of the human spirit, NYAD recounts a riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete Diana Nyad. Three decades after giving up marathon swimming in exchange for a prominent career as a sports journalist, at the age of 60, Diana (four-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening) becomes obsessed with completing an epic swim that always eluded her: the 110 mile trek from Cuba to Florida, often referred to as the “Mount Everest” of swims. Determined to become the first person to finish the swim without a shark cage, Diana goes on a thrilling, four-year journey with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster) and a dedicated sailing team.
One step above a documentary, Nyad is a biopic worthy of its pedigree. Diana Nyad was a phenomenon in the water, doing things thought unthinkable by men or women, often easily, until she met (to grab a water metaphor) her White Whale.
The swim from Cuba to Florida, first attempted in her 20s, proved impossible.
Thirty years later, the itch proved impossible for Nyad to resist, and she convinced herself, along with her friend and de facto coach, Bonnie, that now, with her mind properly set to the difficulties that a younger swimmer wasn’t ready for, the swim could not only be done, but it could be done by her.
But could it? Numerous attempts end in failure, but each providing not only bits of knowledge necessary to complete the task, but the impetus for her to continue attempting what was still regarded as impossible.
For the first half of the film, I was of the opinion that Benning and Foster were playing the wrong roles, wanting Jodie to play Diana Nyad, but by the final act, Benning had won me over, and her embodiment of a still-powerful professional straining to regain her relevance in a world she though had passed her by, was infectious.
Not that Diana Nyad is a remotely likeable character; she isn’t. Stubborn, skilled, and always quick to explain how only SHE could do a thing, how others we somehow lesser than her in so many ways, one is conflicted about whether to root for or against her.
Foster’s Bonnie is the heart of the story; there is no Nyad without her, and her performance is immensely likeable
Nyad is now streaming on Netflix and stars Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, and Rhys Ifans.
And remember, if the BEST thing you can say about a movie is that it’s “visually stunning,” then they’ve done something wrong.
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