By JASON GUYER
iRate
True stories are often the best stories. Although they often work better in book form, films that are true-story films can be just as good. The downside of true story films is the exaggeration of drama, the stretching of truth, or liberties taken with what is actually true. True stories often have more of impact on the viewer, whether emotionally or inspirationally, driving what can be a deeper connection with the audience.
“Adrift” captures that deeper connection.
Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin star in “Adrift,” a film based on the inspiring true story of two free-spirited vagabonds whose chance encounter and love of sailing brings love and adventure to their lives. When an opportunity to sail a yacht to San Diego is presented to the two lovers, Tami Oldham (Woodley) and Richard Sharp (Claflin) can’t pass it up and set out to sail across the Pacific Ocean.
Life events can be hard to anticipate, and the couple find themselves sailing directly into one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history, Hurricane Raymond. The storm leaves the Tami unconscious and, as she awakens, she finds Richard badly injured and their boat in ruins. With limited hope for rescue and Richard injured, Tami must find the strength and determination to save them.
Shailene Woodley stars as Tami Oldham, a role Woodley was born to play. Woodley’s own personality mirror’s Tami’s to some degree and makes it a perfect role for her. She commands your attention and the screen as her eyes show the feelings the character has as she deals with the dire circumstances of being trapped adrift in the Pacific Ocean. Using just a glance or the weight of emotion in her eyes, Woodley brings the audience along on the emotional journey and gives a performance that a story such as Tami Oldham’s deserves.
The film uses all the styles of camera shot that can capture a character’s emotion. The choker style and extreme close up shots work perfectly. Even more perfectly because a lead of Woodley’s talent can present heavy emotions through her eyes.
Woodley carries the film and without her “Adrift” could have stayed adrift, but as the lead Woodley sails this one home. She galvanized “Adrift” into the inspirational true story the film set out to tell.
Great leads are half the battle, and there are many great actors and actresses out there, but pairing them with great supporting roles can be even harder. Sam Claflin, probably best known as Finnick Odair from “The Hunger Games,” was a great choice. Claflin and Woodley have the onscreen chemistry few manage to achieve, believable romantic chemistry, sexual chemistry, and, quite frankly, enviable chemistry.
These two actors have the kind of rapport that gives the viewer the feeling that even when the characters are fighting, they love each other and draw inspiration from one another. The emotional chemistry carries weight and meaning to the ending this film offers the audience.
Relatively unknown director Baltasar Kormákur handles the film and the story very well. Continuously jumping from flashbacks to main story can be a task for a director. When flashbacks are not done well and incorporated into the main story properly, they can slow down or even hinder the telling of the main storyline. Kormákur concentrates on the story lines points when and only when he needs to. Especially to reinforce the main stories long-term objectives, like concentrating on love when it is necessary to concentrate on it to drive the love aspect of the main story and concentrating on the will and fight to survive when it calls for it.
Foreshadowing is the only part he handles poorly. Foreshadowing an ending is storytelling 101 for most films, but Kormákur has the character “Yell it from the rooftops,” so to speak and it gives it away too soon. It is the only downside in an otherwise great film and a minor one at that. Many films have a hard time foreshadowing, and I won’t hold it against this one.
“Adrift” is an inspiring tale of love and survival during extreme circumstances, circumstances that are inspiring on many levels.
Woodley may be acting out Tami Oldham’s story, but in the cinema universe Woodley is the inspiration that brings Tami’s own inspiring story to life. Woodley and co-star Claflin put in hurricane-de-force performances that do anything but set the viewer adrift.
IRATE SCORE: 3.5/5
Jason Guyer is an avid moviegoer and works in the Graphics Department at the Eagle Times. For questions or comments he can be emailed at [email protected]
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.