Nyad

You’re never too old to be a jerk (or accomplish your dreams)

Jodie Foster and Annette Bening put in the work in Nyad.

At the peak of her career, Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) was one of the most famous athletes in America. She appeared with Johnny Carson, got a commentator gig on ABC Sports, and was on her way to a place in the Swimming Hall of Fame. It’s not a bad resume, but for Nyad there was one glaring omission.

At 28, she’d attempted to swim unassisted from Cuba to Florida. She failed.

Now, on her 60th birthday, the idea that she could have completed the swim plagues her. A lot of people might talk to a therapist about that, maybe confide in a friend, Diana chose to put on a swimsuit and get back in the pool. This action would begin Nyad’s single-minded pursuit of the accomplishment that got away. Can she make the swim of her dreams three decades after her competitive career ended? Or is this another failure she’ll have to reckon with?

Directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi are used to telling incredible stories about the resilience and impossible feats of humanity. The couple worked for National Geographic on documentaries such as Free Solo and The Rescue. This is their first step into the world of narrative filmmaking (a baby step, since Nyad is based on actual events), and they bring the same breathless sense of wonder to Nyad.

Chin and Vasarhelyi painstakingly explain how insane it is to even attempt this swim unassisted. Nyad would have to navigate conflicting currents, sea creatures both venomous and bitey, and wildly changing temperatures. Imagine a shark is swimming directly at you and your last line of defense is a kayaker with a tennis ball on a stick. Getting stung by a box jellyfish is not only horrifically painful, but life-threatening. And that’s to say nothing of the physical demands on a body that’s been in the water for over two days.

The film is at its best when Chin and Vasarhelyi are in documentary mode, explaining the feats Nyad will have to accomplish to make the swim and pulling footage from Diana’s real appearances. They also remind the audience that open-water swimming is a team sport, even when only one person is in the water. Nyad didn’t just hop into the waves and head north, she had a coach, a navigator, a doctor, shark experts, box jellyfish experts, and more working to make sure she stayed safe and on course. This is a film about a team of experts doing what they’re best at. It’s fascinating to watch how each member of Nyad’s team provided an essential piece of her quest.

Helping them along the way are two excellent performances from Bening and Jodie Foster. As Diana, Bening offers an almost terrifying sense of purpose. Diana Nyad was not an easy person to know. She’s difficult, demanding, and often single-minded to the point of selfishness. But those qualities are also what made her able to overcome the mental and physical torture needed to make one of the most daunting swims in history. Bening never tries to make Diana likable. Diana isn’t interested in being Miss Congeniality, she’s determined to be legendary and that takes a very different skill set.

As her long-suffering friend-turned-coach, Bonnie, Foster is a wonderful foil to Bening’s drive. Bonnie is both frustrated by and in awe of her friend’s determination. She often has to smooth over ruffled feathers with sponsors and teammates, but she also finds herself wrapped up in the excitement of possibility. Diana Nyad isn’t the easiest friend to have, but she is the one who’s capable of great feats. Bonnie has to make her peace with that if she wants to be part of the adventure.

And while the film hits all the familiar beats of a feel-good sports movie, Nyad does make them entertaining. The only weak spots were the flashbacks to her childhood, which felt a little forced. The film seems to hammer on the events of her past in ways that feel too obvious and cliché for them to work for such an unsentimental protagonist.

But even with a few missteps, Nyad is the kind of movie that will have you cheering — and maybe considering tackling that long-abandoned dream project again.  

Verdict: An inspirational sports flick with plenty of interesting characters, Nyad is one to watch.

Nyad is rated PG-13 and is available on Netflix.