True Spirit

A biographical movie about Jessica Watson, who became the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the world alone in 2009. The film, which stars Teagan Croft and is directed by Sarah Spillane, details Watson's journey and the support she received from her family and manager.

Despite criticism from the media and government officials, Watson persevered and completed her journey, overcoming multiple storms and windless stasis. The film showcases the beautiful sailing sequences and pays homage to Watson's determination, making her a symbol of the "can-do spirit."

However, the film has its flaws. The screenplay tends to disrupt the dramatic momentum, and the perky, clean-scrubbed tone makes the film feel like a Disney Channel movie. The film also oversimplifies the story, focusing solely on vindicating Watson and her family and coach, while ignoring the messiness of real life.

Overall, "True Spirit" is a suitable movie for younger audiences, but for those looking for a more nuanced and thorough account of Watson's journey, her memoir and the 2010 documentary "210 Days" are recommended.

Hello everyone, I'm Mr. C Reviewer, tonight we are discussing the Movie, True Spirit. I watched it on Netflix. The Movie first aired January 25, 2023. It has a runtime of 1h 49 minutes. True Spirit was rated PG. The Movie was directed and created by Sarah Spillane as well as created by Rebecca Banner and Cathy Randall.

Summary: In a daring quest to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop, and unassisted around the globe, the determined young sailor Jessica Watson faces scepticism from many who doubt her ability to succeed. With unwavering support from her mentor and sailing coach Ben Bryant, along with her devoted parents, Jessica embarks on an extraordinary journey across some of the most treacherous oceans, battling the odds over an incredible 210 days.

Review: -I don't recall keeping up with the real story when I was younger; I would have been around 10 years old at the time. However, I'm glad to be learning about it now. I appreciated how the movie began, featuring a voiceover and showcasing some of the characters in their younger years. This approach allowed us to feel as though we were witnessing their growth alongside our own, as the characters have aged a bit since then.

The film featured several scenes with subdued lighting, yet everything essential within the frame was clearly visible. I appreciated the cinematography, particularly the point-of-view shots that immerse viewers in Jessica's journey, allowing us to feel as if we are by her side through her challenges and victories. The close-up shots effectively capture Jessica's emotional states throughout her expedition, emphasizing her moments of fear, determination, and introspection. These intimate visuals convey her internal struggles and growth over the course of her 210-day voyage. Additionally, the aerial photography highlights the vastness of the ocean, providing context for Jessica's sense of isolation during her journey.

One particular moment startled me as an object fell toward the camera. While I found the editing satisfactory, I appreciated the on-screen text indicating the number of days elapsed; however, I believe it could have been presented more effectively.

I appreciated the set design as it appeared believable for the most part. However, I believe the film could have enhanced its realism with minor details. For instance, when the character forgot to pack essentials like a hairbrush and resorted to using forks as a makeshift brush, they did not depict her actually brushing her hair with it. Additionally, I noticed that her hair never seemed messy during scenes set in severe storms; it looked too perfect. Even when characters got wet, they appeared dry in subsequent scenes. In the movie, Jessica wore Converse shoes, which are popular casual footwear. However, I doubt that Jessica would realistically choose to undertake the long and challenging sailing expedition in them due to their lack of waterproofing and support. It is likely that she would have opted for more suitable sailing footwear in the true story.

I appreciated the soundtrack; it complemented the scenes effectively. There were several songs I recognized, which is unusual for me when watching films. I was pleased that the movie included subtitles, allowing me to easily follow the dialogue when necessary. The cast was strong, and while they bore some resemblance to the real-life individuals from the story, it wasn't strikingly similar. The acting was decent but not particularly memorable. I enjoyed seeing Jessica's perspective as viewers experienced her anticipation and reactions to updates.

I believe the film had a significant opportunity to educate viewers about sailing, but it fell short in that regard. While it touched on the protagonist's loneliness, it did not adequately depict her struggles. In the movie, Jessica frequently uses her phone; however, in reality, internet connectivity would likely be insufficient for streaming video in one of the world's most remote oceans. Additionally, the boat appeared remarkably well-maintained with no visible signs of wear or damage, despite the challenges it faced in real life. I would have appreciated seeing close-ups of any damage to enhance authenticity.

-I feel that we didn't gain much insight into Jessica beyond her lifelong dream of sailing around the world. Personally, I found the portrayal of Ben in the film unappealing, particularly in a scene where he acts foolishly. Additionally, my research revealed no credible evidence or reports supporting the actions of Ben's character as depicted in the movie.

-To be honest, I shed a few tears while watching the ending, but they were tears of joy. I appreciated that just before the credits rolled, we were treated to real-life footage of Jessica living on her boat as she pursued her dream of traveling around the world, which loosely inspired this movie.

I rate each Movie I watch out of 10 and for this one, I give it an 6 Remember this was what I thought about the film personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.

Just finished watching this excellent movie. It's based on a true story, so there won't be any spoilers here. It's the story of Jessica Watsonl who's always dreamed of sailing around the world by herself. She's on a quest to be the younger person to do so.

As you'd expect, she certainly has her share of obstacles. But she shows the true grit needed to complete such an adventure. The film goes from her at sea, to flashbacks of her growing up and all the things that led to this amazing adventure.

I thought the acting was absolutely spot on. The photography and special effects were tremendous as well. And it's full of breathtaking action scenes that make you feel you're on board with her. There's one absolutely gorgeous scene when she's caught in a dead-air zone. She stares at the night sky just full of stars with the David Bowie's "Star Man" quietly playing. It's quite haunting.

If you're looking for a great film the whole family will enjoy, don't miss this one! But be sure to have some tissues handy. There are a couple of emotional scenes where even this jaded film reviewer puddled up a bit.

Jessica Watson (Teagan Croft) is a 16 year old Australian girl planning to sail solo around the globe. Her mentor Ben Bryant (Cliff Curtis) has a troubled past. Her supportive parents (Josh Lawson, Anna Paquin) raised her on the waters. Her dad does have concerns while they face disbelieve and questioning from the outside world.

This is a generally solid inspirational film. Teagan Croft is cute and energetic. Cliff Curtis is the solid veteran actor. Lawson is a character actor and it's funny that I probably know him best from Mortal Kombat. It's great to have Anna Paquin as the mom. She herself won the Oscar when she was twelve. It's all very nice and very safe. The safe part is a bit of a problem. I'm never concerned about her journey except for a small moment during the climatic storm. The movie needs to build more danger into the movie. It needs to start with Bryant's unfortunate sailing incident. It also needs to recount one or two sailors who died during their attempts. It needs to push the danger more. Instead, they leave it to the slimy news guy and the danger disippates. All in all, this is very inspirational and very standard.

I get that the budget for this film was obviously not huge and you can clearly see that in the CGI and in some of the acting. But I feel that the story is so strong and interesting that it overrides all those factors and makes it a film worth watching.

I was fascinated from beginning to end.

Teagan Croft as Jessica Watson was no doubt the best performer in the whole film. She even out shone Anna Paquin who was very flat in this film. She felt very out of place and didn't seem to give it any ounce of energy.

If you can focus on the story and put everything else aside, this is a very enjoyable film.