In 1968, no one had sailed single-handedly round the world without stopping. When a competition is announced with large cash prices for being the first to do so, and the fastest within a set start time, there is a lot of interest from experienced professional sailors. Amateur sailor, Donald Crowhurst, announces that he too will enter in his custom built yacht. Some way in, Crowhurst realises that he can’t complete the voyage but faces financial ruin If he returns home…
This is a true story I knew nothing about before this film was announced. The land-set scenes of the build-up to the race, and those during it, are pretty interesting with a reliable cast of stalwart British actors – including David Thewlis, Ken Stott, Simon McBurney, and Mark Gatiss – doing their stuff admirably.
The problem, as has been experienced in movies such as All is Lost, is in presenting a man alone on his boat, doing what he needs to do, compelling. That is achieved initially as Crowhurst battles both the elements and technical difficulties largely caused by him having to set off before he was ready. But as the weeks and months pass and he begins to unravel mentally, the film begins to drag. The use of visions and flashbacks feel a little too obvious.
Colin Firth does a good job with the lead role, adding some stalwart tinged charisma to a man who in reality was both reckless and delusional. Aside from an affecting speech towards the end, Rachel Weisz has little to do as his devoted wife, though.
Ultimately, this is well enough made but neither Crowhurst nor his story are fascinating enough to keep the movie totally afloat.
Rating: 6 out of 10