[Movie Review] Adrift (2018)
Plot Summary: Based on the true story of survival, a young couple's chance encounter leads them first to love, and then on the adventure of a lifetime as they face one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history.
Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Writers: Tami Ashcraft (Book), Aaron Kandell
Runtime: 1 hr 36 min
Main Cast:- Shailene Woodley as Tami Oldham
- Sam Clafin as Richard Sharp
- Grace Palmer as Deb
- Jeffrey Thomas as Peter
- Elizabeth Hawthorne as Christine
Review by: Marie
Based on a true story and set in the year of 1983, Adrift follows Tami Oldham (Shailene Woodley), a young 20-something girl who loves to wonder the world and looks to leave her old life in San Diego behind her.
After making her way to Tahiti, Tami crosses paths with Richard Sharp (Sam Claflin), a 30-something sailor whom she takes a liking to and about five months later, falls in love with. When Richard is hired by a wealthy couple to sail their luxurious boat from Tahiti to California, Tami is somewhat hesitant to accompany him as that would be a trip where she would have to return to her former home. What starts out as a challenging and romantic journey for the couple turns into a nightmare when a massive sea storm hits. After trying to navigate through it, the couple ends up sailing right into the hurricane and are only able to survive through sheer luck. With Richard injured and the vessel left damaged and drifting, it falls to Tami to find the strength and courage within herself to not only keep them alive, but try and keep their ship headed to Hawaii which is their best shot at survival.
What I Liked:
Because of all of the technical aspects of the film, including makeup that gives Woodley and Claflin a convincing bedraggled look after weeks of being “lost at sea,” the film makes you believe you are watching a live film, which in my eyes is what people look to see when they attend the movie theater. The special effects were also extremely believable as well which makes this a must see in theaters.
What I Didn’t Like:
Part of the problem with this story is the love story that is Woodley and Claflin. While both great actors on their own, they do not have great on-screen chemistry. The connection that forms between the characters is believable enough but, unfortunately, there’s never a real spark between them that makes their romance as moving and heartwarming as it should be.
Summary
On a whole, Adrift is a perfectly competent thriller which is inspired by a real world true story about survival and beating the odds. It is also a love story, presented with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
Images Courtesy of IMDB
