NYAD
★★★ 1/2
Insanity. That's the word that kept popping into my head while watching NYAD. For some reason, I was slightly aware of Diana Nyad's lifelong pursuit to swim from Cuba to Florida across more than 100 miles of open ocean, but overall, this story was new to me. There are moments in this film that worked for me, but then there are times that directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin lean into flashbacks and dream sequences that completely took me out of what was being accomplished on screen.
Though Annette Bening as Nyad is one-note, it's a consistent one-note. You think to yourself, "Surely there are down moments in this woman's life," but we never get that insight. But to counteract my statement, we are shown the real-life Nyad in the end credits and she comes off just as intense and narcissistic as Bening's portrayal. Bening's physical transformation is incredible but is still overshadowed by the grounded and charming performance of Jodie Foster who plays Nyad's best friend/coach, Bonnie Stoll. Without Foster, this movie wouldn't have been nearly as engrossing, even though we witness moments in the ocean that are terrifying. I had forgotten how relatable Foster can come across on screen and despite being a huge movie star, she possesses this person-next-door charisma that always draws a connection to her characters.
NYAD could have been a great film but unfortunately leans on some clichéd crutches to get us to the finish line. I know it's meant to be inspirational, but it had quite the opposite effect on me. All I could think of the whole time was how nonsensical and pointless I thought this feat was. Impressive, yes. Entertaining? Hell, yes. But there are better ways to display the importance of teamwork.
