The latest adventure from cinematic survivalist Baltasar Kormákur (“Everest,” “The Deep“) hits upon a number of my core fears: open water, enormous storms and the prospect of my crush Sam Claflin dying in a movie. If his peril seems like a spoiler, you have missed both the trailer and the title of the film. The British charmer does not have a good track record of making it to the end credits, and a film where he is at the mercy of the Pacific Ocean and Hurricane Raymond doesn’t improve his chances. But with its unconventional structure and deeper themes than simply staying alive, “Adrift” is worth confronting those fears.
Based on a true story, the script from “Moana’s” Aaron and Jordan Kandell, with help from”Ingrid Goes West” scribe David Branson Smith divides the experience of Tami Oldham (Shailene Woodley) and Richard Sharp (Claflin) into two parallel tracks and cuts between them. The first starts in the middle of the linear narrative, finding Tami waking up dazed, after a storm, in the belly of a sinking yacht in the middle of the ocean. When she emerges topside, she discovers the extent of the damage – and that her sailing partner and love Richard is gone. She sees a lifeboat floating in the distance and finds him there. After she pulls him to safety, she must nurse his extensive injuries, ration their food and water, repair the boat and find a way back to dry land 1,500 miles away.
Meanwhile, “Adrift” rewinds to Tami and Richard’s first meeting on Tahiti five months earlier, exploring the early days of their romance. He is captivated by her wild spirit, while she admires his ability to sail alone across the sea in his own boat, and their love blooms against the backdrop of picturesque beaches and waterfalls. (If you start your relationship on Tahiti, where do you honeymoon?) When a British couple offers him the chance to sail their yacht from Tahiti to San Diego for $10,000, Tami and Richard embark on the journey, with this seemingly idyllic experience taking them to the inevitable storm that we know is waiting.
“Adrift” switches between a romantic dream and harrowing nightmare, alternating between bliss and desperation. The structure largely works, and it keeps us from experiencing the same monotony as Tami and Richard do while their boat inches its way toward safety – for better or for worse. Robert Richardson‘s cinematography captures the bright colors and pure happiness of their time on Tahiti, while the underwater moments are both beautiful and unsettling. The variety is good from the perspective of keeping the audience engaged, but it also doesn’t connect us as deeply to the struggle as a more linear approach might. As a result, the film functions better on an intellectual level than an emotional one, and the couple’s experience doesn’t hit as hard as it might in the heart.
Woodley gets to shine here, moving from the happiness of her romance with Richard to the terror and depression she feels when their situation worsens and extends from days to weeks. “Adrift” deserves credit for not just framing her in reference to her partner; she’s independent before the hurricane that overtakes them, but his injuries force her to take charge and work to save them. She’s fierce and strong, but always human with flaws that are amplified in their struggles. The film isn’t just about her relationship with Richard; it’s about her relationship with the ocean and herself, and it’s inspiring to watch.
My own tastes aside, Claflin’s Richard is the perfect boyfriend, presented with fewer dimensions and negative qualities than his partner. Other than the giant hurricane, there are few problems in their relationship, but it’s difficult to tell whether that lack of conflict points an issue with the script or if it’s a reflection of the fact that the couple in their worst moments would only want to remember the best times.
“Adrift” avoids the perils of most survival stories, thanks not only to its strong cast and well-structured script but to Kormákur who manages to succeed at capturing the tone of both the intimate moments and the ones where a building-sized wave looms over Tami and Richard. There are some breathtaking scenes, and the film manages to surprise audiences who’ve seen seemingly similar tales before. [B]