The Finest Hours depicts events that are dubbed as “the most daring rescue mission in U.S. coast guard history.” I took this with a grain of salt as mereover-exaggeration, a marketing tactic. And yet upon seeing the film, and absorbing this new-found insight of how grave the dangers coast guards actually face on a daily basis, I‘m left with one question in mind: Why do these heroes don’t receive as much respect and recognition in the same way soldiers, navy and airmen do?
Chris Pine in The Finest Hours. Photo via Disney.
[column size=one_half position=first ]
It takes some time before the film plunges to action as it gets out of the way the film’s romance first. Chris Pine downplays his on-screen charisma and jumps from spaceship captain to “space”-less ship captain (get it?) in playing the role of Bernie Webber, an introverted coast-guard officer. It is 1952 and Bernie is about to go on a first date with Miriam (Holiday Grainger). Flash-forward a couple of months, and Miriam asks Bernie to marry her (yes, not the other way around). Bernie, having known her for basically less than a year, initially says no but asshe walks-out of the room and cries, Bernie follows her and takes back his answer (tears, indeed, are a woman’s weapon). Their engagement gets postponed when chief warrant officer Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana) sends Bernie to a suicide mission to rescue a crew from an oil tanker ship, the S.S. Pendleton, that’s split in half during the winter storm. O.K., hold up, a ship split into half, one part sinks and the other stays afloat—how insane is that? The events that occur this film seem improbable that I myself have journeyed to research; however it turns out, most of these events, including this one, really happened.
[/column]
[column size=one_half position=last ]
Such products affect their order viagra usa sexual parts in a negative way can be devastating. It can bring about an overall rejuvenation to the body, take them as online viagra prescription and when recommended to you. Problem in more helpful tabs cialis without rx nerve impulses from the brain and spinal cord are damaged. Other psychological factors also include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and strokes are a few that tend to stay in the minds of citizens, becoming “famous.” Here is a short bio of levitra low cost one of the leading aspects to cause ED & to drop the libido level in men.
“In the coast guard they say you go out, they don’t say you gotta come back,” Bernie says before they trudge on to the raging sea and get tossed by itsvgigantic waves. In these intense moments of distress, Chris Pine delivers an admirable performance as the underdog rising to the occasion.
[/column]
From this point, the film is forked into three story-lines which happen concurrently: Bernie’s rescue mission with his volunteer crew; the events happening back in the mainland; and the struggle of the men inside the oil tanker ship led by engineer Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck). Bernie’s arc holds the message of the film—valor and humanity inevitably comes through at the most improbable odds. “In the coast guard they say you go out, they don’t say you gotta come back,” Bernie says before they trudge on to the raging sea and get tossed by itsvgigantic waves. In these intense moments of distress, Chris Pine delivers an admirable performance as the underdog rising to the occasion.
Rather than sizzle action onboard (like, say, in Paul Greengrass’ terrific Captain Phillips), director Craig Gillespie frequently returns to Miriam and Bernie’s dynamic, squandering much tension he laboriously builds. It is, in addition, hard to anchor on her character as she is written as a strong-willed woman who always gets what she wants. Ray Sybert, on the other hand, proves a more interesting character that is sadly left unexplored. He is the film’s unsung hero responsible for devising the ingenious methods that kept his crew alive. Casey Affleck, meanwhile, brings the genuine marine “salt” in Sybert.
Chris Pine and Casey Affleck in The Finest Hours. Photo via Disney.
A torrent of nautical terms are spewed throughout The Finest Hours which does not serve the film’s purpose at all and proves only frequently alienating. As a viewer you feel like an unwanted and useless crew member who doesn’t know a thing or two about sea and ships.
Of the film’s technicals: the cinematography, special effects, sound design and musical scoring are all commendable (the latter being courtesy of recently Oscar-nominated composer Carter Burwell). Being forcibly immersed in to the belly of a storm, I have at one point feared I was developing Thalassophobia (or the fear of seas, yes I Googled it. Ha!).
This unapologetically old-fashioned rescue story is sure to be taken back to films such as Titanic (1997), The Perfect Storm (2000), or The Guardian (2006). They will whine from the onset: “I have already seen this film years ago”, and they will be right. The Finest Hours certainly isn’t the “finest” (O.K., I’ve got to stop with these puns!). This film is quite the outlandish choice for Disney’s usually colorful productions. In closer inspection, you understand just why: it sends a powerful and uplifting message about resilience, leadership and faith—characteristics that the outfit so admirably adamantly promotes.
P.S.: Stay up until the credits to see the photos of the real people involved in these finest hours and also to hear Kodaline’s version of “Hey, Haul Away Joe” because it’s so haunting, I have it on repeat in my playlist. You’re welcome.
