Daisy Ridley stars in Disney’s film bringing Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle’s (the first woman to swim the English channel) story to life. But what have critics had to say about it?
The Observer: *** “The prestige trappings – the 1920s New York and Brooklyn neighbourhoods where the story unfolds are handsomely recreated – go some way towards winning over the audience, as does a peppy and likable turn from Ridley. But Young Woman and the Sea, adapted from a book of the same name by Glenn Stout, is ploddingly formulaic and takes a few too many far-fetched dramatic liberties (the film has her squeezing out of the porthole of an ocean liner and plunging, luggage and all, into the sea in order to make a second attempt at the Channel swim).”
The Guardian: ** “Once Trudy kicks off from the French shores, the director Joachim Rønning is relieved of the well-intended message-peddling and freed up to focus on the action sequences more comfortably in his area of expertise. The home stretch sequence hits the emotional notes it needs to, the immersive 360-degree open-water cinematography and well-measured rhythms of editing both coaxing suspense from a preordained conclusion. It’s impossible not to root for Trudy, though more for what she represents than her own winning pluck.”
Variety: “Lovely and riveting at every turn, Joachim Rønning’s Trudy Ederle biopic is a winning celebration of feminine perseverance and sisterhood.”
The Telegraph: *** “The Star Wars actress is joined by a stellar cast for Disney’s lacquered, lively sports drama about the first woman to swim the Channel.”
Empire: *** “This portrait of real-life swimmer Gertrude Ederle feels resolutely old-fashioned: in tone, in pace and in hero. Trudy Ederle is an uncomplicated figure by most standards, a plucky underdog who took on the world without much in the way of a dark side or messy personal life. To replace such psychological fripperies, director Joachim Rønning finds nuance and complexity in the forces arrayed against her, and leans into a colourful supporting cast to bolster his stoic leading lady, Daisy Ridley.”
Roger Ebert.com: *** “Young Woman and the Sea is a worthwhile film for other young women to see, especially if they’re involved in sports. But its themes of daring and perseverance should resonate with anyone who’s ever gone after a goal. Rønning has found a solid balance here: He’s made a feel-good sports film that’s stirring without being schmaltzy, one that dips into genre tropes just enough to provide familiarity and structure.”
The Independent: *** “It may sound a little silly or slight to mention, but Disney’s Young Woman and the Sea is saved from the grim pedestrianism of the Hollywood biopic by a smile. It switches on, like a lightbulb in a dark basement, across the face of its star, Daisy Ridley. As an actor, Ridley hasn’t yet been able to capitalise on her role as Rey in the Star Wars movies in the way some might have hoped (which may partially explain why she was so easily coaxed back for a freshly announced sequel). But she’s achieved a real clarity about what she can offer as an actor. That’s a rare quality for a franchise veteran.”
The Hollywood Reporter: ” The overworked screenplay doesn’t strip the film of all its merits — there’s plenty here in terms of uplift and inspiration for most audiences — but it does make one wonder about a version of this project that embodied the fluidity Ederle felt in the water.”
Young Woman and the Sea is out in cinemas now.