Movie Review - Young Woman and the Sea

Director: Joachim Rønning
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Stephen Graham, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Sian Clifford, Christopher Eccleston, Kim Bodnia, Jeanette Hain
 
Description: The story of competitive swimmer Trudy Ederle (Daisly Ridley), who, in 1926, was the first woman to ever swim across the English Channel.

Review: Imagine having to swim the English Channel. But now imagine not wearing a hydrodynamic wetsuit, no energy bars or vitamin drinks, and having to rely on the escort of one dastardly steamer. Kust hours and hours of swimming, without fuss, but with jellyfish. That is exactly the challenge that Trudy Ederle took on in 1926, as the first woman ever to.

We meet young Trudy Ederle, who wants to learn how to swim together with her sister Meg. In the roaring 20s, no such thing was for girls. When the sisters get older, the join an all woman’s swim team. With Meg being the most promising, it’s Trudy with the talent. They both start entering competitions, and Trudy wins every time. Even when Trudy is selected to go the Olympics, her Father is not convinced and feels like this is no place for a woman.

After the Olympics, where the woman’s teams was not so successful, because the never get the chance to properly train, Trudy is about to quit and live the life her father wishes for her. Until she sees a film about Bill Burgess, who swam the English Channel. No woman has ever tried this and it becomes Trudy’s number one goal.

Trudy will stop at nothing and she is determine to swim the English Channel. Proving everyone wrong for telling that a woman will never be fit for such a thing. Daisy Ridley is amazing as Trudy, she is the heart of the film. And she proves she can easily carry one. She is accompanied by Stephen Graham, who has a smaller role then I expected which was a shame. I wanted more screentime for him, I always want more screentime for Graham. He is such an overlooked and underrated actor. I really liked his rol in “Young Woman and the Sea”.

“Young Woman and the Sea” is an inspiring sports film about a champion for women’s rights and recognition. Based on a true story, as amazed as I was for what Trudy Ederle did, you should also watch the film “Nyad” with a similar theme and also a true tale. Even more amazing actually. “Nyad” is probably the stronger film of the two, but I also absolutely loved “Young Woman and the Sea”.

Rating: 4/ 5