Boys in the Boat

[Anonymous]

Just saw this. It was ok. The book was so much more interesting and layered. It would’ve made a better series than a movie. Anyone else see it?

[Anonymous]

Aaaaw, that’s too bad. I loved the book!

[Anonymous]

Just took 4 13 year old boys to see it. I loved the book, but the movie wasn’t amazing. The boys liked it though and are now interested in rowing.

[Anonymous]

I loved the book and the movie.

[Anonymous]

Loved the book.

The movie was fine. Too much focus on the girlfriend, and the Jesse Owens part seemed performative. Not bad. But not amazing

[Anonymous]

Read the book, loved it, and really wanted to love the movie. I liked it, and thought it was a beautifully filmed piece. I think the film could have dug more deeply into the conflicts explored in the book.

[Anonymous]

I just saw the movie. Never read the book, but I thought the movie was fantastic. Just a very classic, timeless sort of movie. We all loved it.

[Anonymous]

Loved the book and the movie. Really nicely done.

[Anonymous]

I agree with a PP that this would have been a much better six part show. The book was wonderful but the movie skirted over so many interesting possible storylines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with a PP that this would have been a much better six part show. The book was wonderful but the movie skirted over so many interesting possible storylines.

It was nice to have such a classic movie to see though. It’s the kind of movie you can take your parents or your kids to and really enjoy it. Perfect for the holidays.

[Anonymous]

I was really looking forward to it and thought it would be better. It felt hackneyed and cliched and followed the sports movie formula. Also I felt the characters were underdeveloped. I agree it would have been better as a limited series.

[Anonymous]

Our family really enjoyed it - included DC who was a champion rower who experienced much of the pain depicted - and the team euphoric highs after hard earned wins.

DC said the book differed in that it happened over three years not one year but that was an artistic choice to cram the story line into one movie.

pP is probably right that it would have been better as a series with more character development - nonetheless it is a very enjoyable movie.

I think the audience approval rating speak for themselves. The critics don’t always get it right .

[Anonymous]

So disappointed by the movie, especially because we are UW people. They compressed so many exciting parts of the book, had tons of rowing inaccuracies, and tried to tell us that Henley and Seattle look the same? How did they manage to have zero scenes in the rain? The only part that felt authentic was the very end, when a PNW family was huddled outside a wet cabin in awful weather listening to the radio.

Inaccuracies aside, the true crime was the terrible, flat acting. It was 2 hours of watching talking cardboard cutouts. I can’t believe that George Clooney didn’t have the pull to find a single actor who could act. And it’s not like he sacrificed acting skills for rowing skills, because that sucked too. By the end I was cheering for Cal.

My DD is 8 and read the junior edition of the book, and she said it was the worst thing she had ever watched (and that says a lot). She spent the rest of this night poring over the book and complaining about the movie. We’ve watching more moving episodes of Gabby’s Dollhouse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just saw the movie. Never read the book, but I thought the movie was fantastic. Just a very classic, timeless sort of movie. We all loved it.

You should read the book then

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So disappointed by the movie, especially because we are UW people. They compressed so many exciting parts of the book, had tons of rowing inaccuracies, and tried to tell us that Henley and Seattle look the same? How did they manage to have zero scenes in the rain? The only part that felt authentic was the very end, when a PNW family was huddled outside a wet cabin in awful weather listening to the radio.

Inaccuracies aside, the true crime was the terrible, flat acting. It was 2 hours of watching talking cardboard cutouts. I can’t believe that George Clooney didn’t have the pull to find a single actor who could act. And it’s not like he sacrificed acting skills for rowing skills, because that sucked too. By the end I was cheering for Cal.

My DD is 8 and read the junior edition of the book, and she said it was the worst thing she had ever watched (and that says a lot). She spent the rest of this night poring over the book and complaining about the movie. We’ve watching more moving episodes of Gabby’s Dollhouse.

Just saw it and I completely agree with your assessment. I think the biggest waste of screen time was on the two female characters, Hazel (coach's wife) and Joyce (Joe's GF) Both of these characters were absolutely worthless to the story and in fact, did nothing but add annoyance since they were nothing but a couple of female cliches.

Oh, look! The coach has a confident, outspoken wife who gives erudite advice about a SPORT and the men all nod appreciatively at her insight and her quips. Who are the filmmakers trying to kid? Does anyone really think a coach's wife would have been so influential in 1936? I think not. Plus, her hairstyle and makeup were a travesty - she was wearing a 21st Century hairdo and makeup. Neither were anything like they wore in the 30's. The actress was clearly acting, and one wonders what Clooney saw in her to put her in the film.

Joe's girlfriend was also annoying, also had a bad non-accurate hairdo, and will win no prizes for her acting. But at least the character was plausible, albeit fairy-tale like.