Swimming for Gold

Quite seriously. Don't waste your time. It was predictable, acting was bad and it wasn't even funny. Perhaps if you had young children it may have some redeeming value but we had to walk out half way. It was terrible. Sorry

Cheesy characters, predictable script, overacting aplenty.

I've seen a few seriously fantastic Aussie movies, but most aren't done well. This one is right down there with them. It felt like watching a teen TV show with a bunch of episodes running end-to-end.

If you're going to watch it - just keep your expectations low.

While the main actress is Peyton List whom is American, this is an Australian film. You can find several excellent movies from there in any genre, action, horror, romance, drama, etc... so don't make them think otherwise. This particular movie may not be excellent but it's quite enjoyable if you're looking for a young sports romantic comedy.

Yes, the first thing that I noticed was that some of the dialogues appeared staged or scripted rather than natural. There was also little about the storyline that was truly surprising. That being said, I wouldn't write this movie off just yet.

Once I had accepted that this movie wasn't going to win any Oscars, I began focussing on the elements that *were* enjoyable. As a former competitive swimmer, the intensity of training sessions throughout the day, the lack of sportsmanship between teams, and the suspense in winning by just 1/100 second were all recognisable. It was also pleasing to see the underwater shots of flip turns and the attention for peculiar techniques and considerations.

Moreover, the performance of the main actors is admirable. Their physique was unmistakably that of a competitive swimmer, and mind you - this is not something anyone could achieve in six months or something. These actors have clearly been swimming for years. Yet they've also managed to convey the story in a reasonably convincing manner. Assuming that they are swimmers first and actors second, they are really quite all right.

All in all, if you're looking for a story with unexpected turns or for subliminal acting, this might not be the movie for you. However, if you have any affinity with competitive swimming, I'd advise you to give it a shot. There's a good chance of finding many moments that are both relatable and entertaining.

Average watch, probably won't watch again, and can't recommend unless you're just into swimming / swimming movies.

I already knew Peyton List could carry a movie, and Olivia Nardini is amazing, but this story carries a level of psychological nuance that I don't think it conveys properly. Partly because it hides the nuance in some of the characters as an unnecessary reveal later on, and partly because they just fail to have the character address it directly.

A lot of the movie is her just being a sullen jerk or an angry jerk, but the movie is fairly enjoyable. I think that is mostly due to the great character work by the cast.

While I don't think this movie is a waste of your time, there are just better things to watch.