Shailene Woodley rocks the boat in Baltasar Kormakur's Adrift
Shailene Woodley is definitely rocking the boat. This weekend's 'Adrift' may just be the best performance in her career. The actress has already done some great roles in her career so you can imagine how amazing she is as Tami Oldham.
Tami Oldham (Woodley) and her fiance Richard Sharp (Sam Claflin) meet and fall in love. Richard is quite the free spirit and as the two fall deeper in love, they decide to sail into the Pacific on a boat. They set off from Tahiti to California. What they couldn't anticipate was that fate had other plans - they sail right into a hurricane. It also happened to be one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history.
After the storm passes, Tami wakes up to find Richard injured. The boat is in ruins. Cries for rescues fail and as she looks at Richard, she realizes she's their only hope. She must find a way to get them back to the shore, alive.
As far as making the best possible use of screen time goes, Shailene really takes the cake with 'Adrift'. The growth in her character from a free spirit to a fighting one is worth the watch.
The portrayal of a young couple getting lost at sea is very realistic - probably because it is closer to real life than you'd think.
Tami is a 23-year-old American who isn't one of those career-oriented women. She does whatever she can find to get her to places she wants to go. She's the embodiment of wanderlust. She has no "final destination." She's dabbled with sailing in San Diego and in a marina she meets Richard.
Richard before the whole sea episode plays a charming, incredibly handsome British sailor.
He's quite hands-on - he builds his own ship while he was toiling away in South Africa. Needless to say, he loves sailing - he "loves the feeling". In ways, both the characters are bright-eyed young people who are just meant to be.
The plot is actually inspired by the true story of Tami Oldham Ashcraft and Richard Sharp. It is based on her book, 'Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea'. In real life, however, Sharp doesn't survive.
Directed by the critically acclaimed Baltasar Kormakur, this film has his signature filmmaking. He's the guy who gave us 'Everest', 'Contraband' and '2 Guns'. Just by the way, perhaps in an attempt to get things right (or tragic) 'Adrift' was filmed entirely on the sea in the Fiji islands.
If you know Kormakur's work, you know he doesn't like to make average films. His films always stand out in some way or the other. With 'Adrift', what really settles as you leave the theatre is just how unfortunately close to reality his storytelling is.
Shot in a flashback style, this plot not only keeps your interest intact but also manages to make you care for the characters. While you ponder about how cruel nature can be, 'Adrift' also teaches you that working with her is perhaps our best chance of survival.
Screenwriters for the film are Aaron Kandell, Jordan Kandell, David Branson Smith and it is produced by Baltasar Kormakur, Aaron Kandell, Jordan Kandell and Shailene Woodley. The incredible DP Robert Richardson's underwater photography leaves you awestruck. Volker Bertelmann is the composer.
If you like 'The Deep' the 2012 lost at sea film, you'll like 'Adrift'.
