Film Review: THE BOYS IN THE BOAT (2023): George Clooney Returns to Direct an Earnest but Slight Sports Drama

The Boys in the Boat Review

The Boys in the Boat (2023) Film Review, a movie directed by George Clooney, written by Daniel James Brown and Mark L. Smith and starring Joel Edgerton, Callum Turner, Peter Guinness, Sam Strike, Thomas Elms, Jack Mulhern, Luke Slattery, Bruce Herbelin-Earle, Wil Coban, Tom Varey, Joel Phillimore, James Wolk, Hadley Robinson, Courtney Henggeler, Chris Diamantopoulos, Glenn Wrage and Edward Baker-Duly.

Actor turned director George Clooney’s new potential crowd-pleaser, The Boys in the Boat, uses a formula that has been used in sports movie for decades. However, that familiarity is used to some level of success thanks to the capable direction and sufficient acting that is employed in the picture. If I hadn’t grown up on films like this, I may have enjoyed it more. Still, there’s nothing wrong with a movie like this if you’re looking for a safe and predictable, yet entertaining, picture.

Set around the depression in the 1930’s, Joel Edgerton stars as Al Ulbrickson, the coach of the mediocre University of Washington rowing team. As the film’s main story begins, a couple of young, but ambitious, guys named Joe (Callum Turner) and Roger (a well-cast Sam Strike) are in desperate need of money and try out to make the team. Joe, who is studying engineering, has had a crush on a young woman named Joyce (Hadley Robinson) for a while. Joe was abandoned by his dad years back and when he is recruited by Al, he finds a new means to thrive both emotionally and professionally. He may even win over the girl of his dreams by the time the movie concludes.

Late in the film, the rowing team must raise money to get to Berlin for the Olympics. This could be one of the quickest subplots in the film as the cash is put together within but a few minutes of screen time. The team gets in the papers and, almost overnight, the money is raised. Another coach named Ky (a fine Glenn Wrage) helps put in a few hundred dollars and serves as the salvation for the group of determined athletes who are ready to go all the way towards victory.

There are underwritten roles, to be certain, here. Al’s wife, Hazel (Courtney Henggeler) appears in key moments such as when Al needs to unwind after a stressful day, but Hazel isn’t developed as anything other than, well, Al’s wife. Then again, Al, himself, basically comes off as your typical hard-nosed coach who has a soft spot, especially when he lets Joe back on the team after Joe is caught exhibiting some undesirable characteristics after dealing with some personal problems.

There isn’t a great love story here, but it’s a cute one. Joe and Joyce have a connection that feels authentic enough. One scene where they say their goodbyes at a train station is appealing. Joe gets off the train after boarding to return to Joyce for one more kiss. Joyce roots for her man while he’s off rowing and it’s all pretty standard, but nice, nevertheless.

The rowing scenes are plausible although certain moments hint at worse possible outcomes than the ones that actually occur. Alexandre Desplat makes the music count for heroic cinematic moments for the team that enhance the entertainment value of the picture as a whole. Also, the costumes of the period are well chosen and help display to viewers a different era where things seemed more hopeful, even in times of despair.

There is a lack of urgency in some of the drama outside of the rowing scenes. For instance, when Joe runs into the father who abandoned him, there isn’t enough of a confrontation between the two characters. They exchange some words and create some tension that eventually makes one wonder if there wasn’t more development of these characters which was left on the cutting room floor.

Callum Turner is essentially the lead here even though Joel Edgerton is the most established actor on board. Edgerton adds some depth to the coach who has a heart underneath his rough exterior. Turner makes this a star-making role as the head rower with aspirations to be more than he can be. He has a lot of personality, and the part is well-suited to the actor’s talents and physical attributes. Sam Strike and Peter Guinness offer solid supporting turns in addition. The cast, as a whole, has been well assembled.

The Boys in the Boat is, without a doubt, charting familiar waters almost every step of the way but with Clooney behind the camera, you can’t help but feel you’re in good hands all the way through. You’ve seen this kind of sports drama a million times before but this one is actually pretty well made despite its flaws. It has enough rousing scenes of rowing to satisfy fans of feel-good sports movies this holiday season.

Rating: 7/10

Leave your thoughts on this The Boys in the Boat review and the film below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more film reviews can visit our Movie Review Page, our Movie Review Twitter Page, and our Movie Review Facebook Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Feedly, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Reddit, Telegram, Mastodon, and Flipboard.