Unless you're the Guinness Book of World Records, there is no disputing the monumental achievement of marathon swimmer Diana Nyad in swimming from Cuba to Key West in 2013 at the age of 64. Written by Julia Cox based on Nyad's memoir, this 2023 biopic was co-directed by married documentarians Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, an intriguing choice as they accurately capture the struggle within the open water swimming scenes but flail somewhat with the rather conventional narrative and how to clarify what exactly caused the failures in Nyad's previous attempts. That leaves the three leads the daunting task of filling in the gaps and humanizing Nyad's relentless persistence. Redoubtable as ever, Annette Bening portrays Nyad with vanity-free ferocity, both physically and temperamentally, and somehow manages to elicit sympathy for a character that might've otherwise come across as purely self-serving. Jodie Foster may have taken a secondary role here as Nyad's coach and best friend Bonnie Stoll, but she is truly the heart and conscience of the film in a loose and winning characterization. Rhys Ifans quietly exudes authority and passion as navigator John Bartlett. It is this trio of stellar actors that makes the film eminently watchable.
Nyad
(2023)
A Trio of Stellar Actors Keeps This Conventional, Against-All-Odds Biopic Afloat
26 January 2024