A One Mann’s Movies Film Review of “Nyad” (2024).
“Nyad”, currently on Netflix, tells the story of Diana Nyad’s multiple attempts to swim from Cuba to Florida – a minor distance of 110 miles (177 km) through shark and deadly jelly-fish filled waters. The film has been very well done, but it is anchored around two stunning performances from Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, both of who have been getting awards attention (including Oscar nominations). As such, this was a must see for me.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) first tries, and fails, swimming from Cuba to Florida in 1978 at the tender and athletic age of 28. So when, on reaching 60 years old, she says she wants to try again her long time friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster) thinks she is utterly mad. But when Nyad gets a thought in her head, she is like a dog with a bone.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC web site: “Infrequent child sex abuse”).
Talent:
Starring: Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans.
Directed by: Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi.
Written by: Julia Cox (Based on the book “Find My Way” by Diana Nyad.)
Twitter Handle: #nyadmovie.
Running Time: 2h 1m.
“Nyad” Film Review:
Positives:
- The two central performances here from Bening and Foster are really top notch. You feel every aching second of Diana’s swims as well as the stress on Bonnie as she watches on from the support boat. When Bening and Foster are acting together on the screen it is cinema magic.
- Somewhat eclipsed by the two ladies is Rhys Ifans, who is also really good in this as the crusty navigator John Bartlett, harbouring a secret. It’s a chance for Ifans to flex his acting chops after the lighter fare of “Spider-Man: No Way Home“, “The Kings Man” and “The Phantom of the Open“.
- The story is almost too unbelievable to be true but the film keeps mixing Bening’s footage with real-life footage of Diana’s achievements to ‘keep it real’. I particularly loved the closing titles sequences that shows, for example, Bening and Nyad in training together to perfect the mimicry of her swimming stroke. And the real Bonnie Stoll on screen shows just what an accurate performance Jodie Foster gives.
Negatives:
- The film tells the story of perseverence against the odds. But this involved her having not one, not two but three failed attempts at the swim before her success. This means that the film does tend to get a little repetitive with these different attempts. Never boring for me… but repetitive nonetheless.
- Nyad comes across as a bit of an annoying character, constantly spouting on about how her name means “water nymph” in Greek. As a two hour film, it’s bearable… but I wouldn’t want to live with her!
Triggers
There is an element of child sex abuse in the plot. The 14-year-old Nyad was allegedly sexually abused by her coach Jack Nelson (Eric T. Miller). There is the implication (another girl is about to go into the office as she is coming out) that he was a serial abuser. There is no nudity shown but in one scene its implied that the middle-aged coach is thrusting into the young teen as she lies on a bed. This may be triggering for some women.
Summary Thoughts on “Nyad”
This is a solid sports-oriented biopic that is never less than interesting. Both of the Oscar nominations are well deserved (although in a very competitive field this year, I can’t see either Bening or Foster winning).
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Trailer for “Nyad”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3anCgVSQb3Q .
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