I didn't read the book, but from the comments here I think I will. I did see the PBS documentary and knew that a movie was in the works and had high expectations.
I can't put my finger on it exactly, but it just wasn't as much as I thought it could be given the subject matter. I watch all of the historic sports as life movies, and elements of all of them are here: Hoosiers, Remember the Titans, Chariots of Fire, even a famous scene reminiscent of An Officer and a Gentleman - the one with Lou Gossett Jr., not Debra Winger. (Hated that movie by the way).
At the end when they show each of the rowers in the boat passing the laurel wreath, I realized that I knew virtually nothing about the other members of the crew. Usually with team things there are characters that don't get much of a back story. But with one of the main themes being that the eight member crew had to think and act as one, you'd expect a little bit more.
It looked wonderful, and very true to 1936. The acting was fine, but there wasn't anything all that dramatic other than the races themselves.
I just expected it to be more engrossing, more moving, more something.
I can't put my finger on it exactly, but it just wasn't as much as I thought it could be given the subject matter. I watch all of the historic sports as life movies, and elements of all of them are here: Hoosiers, Remember the Titans, Chariots of Fire, even a famous scene reminiscent of An Officer and a Gentleman - the one with Lou Gossett Jr., not Debra Winger. (Hated that movie by the way).
At the end when they show each of the rowers in the boat passing the laurel wreath, I realized that I knew virtually nothing about the other members of the crew. Usually with team things there are characters that don't get much of a back story. But with one of the main themes being that the eight member crew had to think and act as one, you'd expect a little bit more.
It looked wonderful, and very true to 1936. The acting was fine, but there wasn't anything all that dramatic other than the races themselves.
I just expected it to be more engrossing, more moving, more something.
Tell Your Friends