NYAD (Never give up on Dreams)

Nyad on Netflix is an inspiring story of strength and perseverance.
Nyad tells the true story of athlete Diana Nyad, who, at the age of 60, and with the help of her best friend in coach, commits to achieving her lifelong dream, a 110-mile, open-ocean swim from Cuba to Florida.

So this stars Annette Benning as Nyad and Jodie Foster as her best friend Bonnie. And while this is a dramatized retelling of Nyad's journey, the film heavily showcases
real footage of Nyad throughout her swimming career, expertly interweaving archival footage
with the film to add additional tension and excitement to the production.

Looking at the character Nyad, she's not a wholly likable character. She's abrasive, argumentative, and impatient, but she's also incredibly driven into nations. And Benning did an amazing job at crafting a character that we want to both slap and then cheer on. And I appreciate the balance that the production also brings to the character, allowing her positives to far outweigh any perceived negatives. And while she isn't always likable, she's easy to get behind and cheer on with her attempts. And her performance is very convincing. Thanks not only to the makeup that just creates sunburns and these saltwater cake skin scenarios, but also the large amount of footage that we watch with her in the water.

Now the camera is often in the water underneath the character to catch the strokes in the choppy water as well as a physical struggle that's apparent on her face. Jody Foster is also awesome in this. She's very down to earth as Nyad's best friend.
And when Crap starts to get hairy, the concerning conflict that she has about supporting her friend, but also trying to keep her safe, I was absolutely conveyed. Their dynamic is also encouraging to watch, coming across naturally as long-time friends who have ups and downs, but also share a deep love and respect for each other.

Reese Evans also stars in this and while his role is smaller and more background, his influence on the story is wonderful because he helps to add a bit of levity to situations without any of the humor just feeling forced or cringey. But he also works to humanize Nyad when she's more abrasive, balancing her fiery passion with subdued logic and quiet words.

Now the movie comes in at two hours, but the time flew by, moving efficiently through each attempt at that monumental swim. And we're shown just enough from each of her attempts to understand the hardship and also what caused the necessity to terminate a swim. There are also flashbacks we watch play out from Nyad's childhood, showcasing events
that shape who she is now, which also helped to determine her mindset as she is swimming these precarious waters.

These moments are also extremely emotional, watching the character mentally process and work through memories and traumas. So she's fighting a few battles all at once, and not only is she up against the unpredictable elements, but she's also battling demons of her past and the moments that haunt her.

One of the strongest elements in this movie is the editing. I already mentioned how the film just interweaves archival footage and it's immersive with the result. Nyad screates a massive sense of excitement as the shots alternate from the real Nyad to Benning. I also really had fun with the positivity of the story. There are some dark moments to Nyad's life, and the film doesn't shy away from them, but they're also not focused on creating drama, but instead illustrating why she's such a force to be reckoned with.

There's also a realism to her journey. We see the exhaustion and the defeat when something doesn't work out, but also instead of just throwing in the towel, she's chomping at the bit to go back out.
That's a massive amount of determination, and when you see some of the challenges that she has to overcome while in the ocean, I think almost everybody is going to call it quits at the first difficulty, even if we can begin it all.

Talking about a movie that's uplifting and inspiring that also incorporates captivating
performances and astounding editing, Nyad is certainly going to fill that need. We have Jody Foster and Reese Evans all working to capture the real life harrowing adventure that was filled with frustration, danger, and then ultimately success.

I give Nyad four and a half out of five stars. I think it deserves that much.

All images from IMDb