disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

TRUE SPIRIT -- A Crowd-Pleasing True Story

2/3/2023

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
Teagan Croft as Jessica Watson in True Spirit. Credit: Netflix © 2023.
Movies about inspiring true stories tend to have pretty low ceilings, but also tend not to disappoint frequently. Sarah Spillane’s True Spirit, a sailing adventure film inspired by an extraordinary young lady whose story you may not have heard, is typically crowd-pleasing, but also typically typical.

The movie tells the true story of Jessica Watson, an Australian teenager who made history by becoming the youngest person to ever sail solo, non-stop around the world. It’s a pretty conventional sports biopic, but Watson’s story is so incredible that it manages to be compelling nonetheless.

The film’s message, while undoubtedly heartwarming, can start to feel a bit shallow at times. For example, a significant amount of conflict in the movie comes from Watson’s critics saying that she’s too young and inexperienced to complete this momentous undertaking. While the fact that she doesn’t let naysayers stop her is certainly inspiring, it starts to feel like somewhat vague “girl power” at a certain point.

The film’s exploration of Williams’s relationship with her family is also somewhat shallow. The movie attempts to use her bond with her siblings as an element of characterization, but the siblings are so underwritten that it is ineffective. One of her sisters wishes to follow in her footsteps, but this subplot is thoroughly underdeveloped.
Picture
(L to R) Stacy Clausen as Tom Watson, Bridget Webb as Emily Watson, Cliff Curtis as Ben Bryant, Anna Paquin as Julie Watson, Josh Lawson as Roger Watson and Vivien Turner as Hannah Watson in True Spirit. Credit: Julian Panetta/Netflix © 2023.
Young actress Teagan Croft gives a performance that’s very charming. It’s surprising that she didn’t accidentally take the role overboard when the character was spiraling during isolation, but impressive nonetheless. The supporting cast features some recognizable names — like Cliff Curtis and Anna Paquin — but they aren’t given very large or meaty roles, likely owing to the budget.

The budget also shows itself in the film’s production values, which are a tad on the rough side at times. During the at-sea action sequences, the use of CGI really draws the viewer out of the suspense. Obviously, a lot of what happened could not have been recreated safely, but even the waves look pretty fake.

That said, there’s an undeniable level of charm that shines through this movie despite all of its flaws. The predictability and occasionally made-for-TV qualities are far outweighed by Spillane’s keen sense of what makes a crowd-pleaser. Viewers will certainly be along for the ride, rooting for Watson to succeed.

True Spirit might be conventional, but it lands in that precise sweet spot of sentimentality that it’s hard to dislike. Even if it’s a film that feels like it was made to disappear in the annals of the Netflix library, it’s kind-of exactly what one would hope for from streaming content.

True Spirit is now streaming on Netflix.

​Rating: 4/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Dan Skip Allen
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About