NYAD (2023)
NYADMovie on Netflix
”An aging athlete, Diana Nyad, becomes obsessed with completing an epic swim from Cuba to Florida.”
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Why watch this film?
Movies about sports and overcoming adversity have become a constant subgenre in Hollywood. From tennis (King Richard) to boxing (Rocky, Creed) and even open water swimming with Nyad. A Netflix original, the film tells the true story of Diana Nyad (Annette Bening), a professional swimmer who, at the age of 60, attempts to achieve the one feat she hasn't accomplished: swimming from Cuba to Florida, over 60 hours without stopping. While it employs many of the genre's formulas, focusing on themes of overcoming adversity and the like, Nyad manages to be emotionally stirring, thanks in large part to the outstanding performances of Bening and Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs), who portrays the coach. Directed competently by the duo Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (Oscar winners for the documentary Free Solo), the film is likely to bring tears to the audience as they witness a true story of triumph, no-nonsense, on the screen. And the best part: it evokes the same sharpness as Free Solo, an excellent sports documentary.
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Plot summary
A riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete Diana Nyad. Three decades after giving up marathon swimming in exchange for a prominent career as a sports journalist, at the age of 60, Diana becomes obsessed with completing an epic swim that always eluded her: the 110 mile trek from Cuba to Florida, often referred to as the "Mount Everest" of swims. Determined to become the first person to finish the swim without a shark cage, Diana goes on a thrilling, four-year journey with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll and a dedicated sailing team.
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