MOVIE REVIEW BLOG-2 ADITYA PATTNAIK (22609) BLOG 2

                                                 MOVIE NAME- THE FINEST HOUR.

he Finest Hours” tells the story of a little-known yet fairly incredible 1950s rescue mission, in which a four-man band of Coast Guard troops went above and beyond the call of duty, steering out into impossible sea conditions in the dead of night to reach a crippled oil tanker. So perhaps the worst one could say about Craig Gillespie’s film is that, rather than their finest hours, the whole cast and crew all put in a solid shift at the office making the movie, producing a perfectly entertaining, sometimes quite well-crafted disaster drama that nonetheless retreats from the memory almost as soon as the credits roll. The disappointing returns for Ron Howard’s recent seafaring saga “In the Heart of the Sea” should give the producers pause, but the film certainly offers enough to provide a modest-sized audience with some respite from the horrors of the January multiplex.

They say truth is stranger than fiction, and in the case of a daring Coast Guard rescue in Massachusetts in 1952, this saying couldn't be more accurate. During one of the worst snow storms that town has ever seen, Captain Bernie Webber manned a small, 12-seat boat to try to find a missing oil tanker that had been split in half by the storm. The stern half of the ship stayed afloat for a short time during the storm, but it was long enough for Webber's crew to make it to them in time. The Finest Hours is an emotional, thrilling tale of this rescue that proves to be inspiring and entertaining at the same time.

Chris Pine, who rose to fame quickly with his portrayal of Captain Kirk in the big screen Star Trek reboot in 2009, steps into the real-life role of U.S. Coast Guard member Bernie Webber. Bernie is one of Pine's most down-to-earth, humble and even timid roles. Pine plays him convincingly, too, which just shows the range this actor has. Casey Affleck--Ben's younger brother who has carved out an impressive career for himself in recent years--is Ray Sybert, the leader of the tanker's survivors. An impressive and able cast surrounds these two leads, including Eric Bana as Webber's superior and Ben Foster as his shipmate, Richie. Holliday Grainger plays his wife-to-be, Miriam, adding a little romantic subplot (and added drama with him having to risk his life), and she does a nice job fitting into the 50's time period.

One thing I really liked about The Finest Hours is how it also felt a lot like an old, classic movie. The film opens with an introduction of Bernie and his friend Gus as they go to meet Miriam for the first time in person in a diner. Then, as their relationship blossoms, we're quickly taken to that fateful time when the incredible winter storm hits, splittling the Pendelton tanker in two and forcing the brave men in the U.S. Cosat Guard to make the tough decision of braving the life-threatening storm in an attempt to rescue any possible survivors. The odds are stacked against both parties, and the story is an especially tense one if you don't know the outcome.

While the movie may be a little slow-going at first for some viewers, once Webber and his team head out on the rough waters while the tanker crew is trying to figure out how to slow the sinking of their ship, the action and stakes are amped up and more severe. This does incorporate some moments that may require the viewer to suspend their disbelief, as the crew is tossed around inside the ship or Webber's boat is pummeled time and again by wave after wave. I'm sure a little liberty was taken for the sake of theatrical entertainment, but it does help add to the tension of the reenactment of the story.