holliday grainger | The Cinema Score

Published by: Anthony Wallace

Set in 1952, an oil tanker is split in two off the coast of Massachusetts during a powerful storm as the crew rides the seas fighting to stay afloat. All the while Bernie Webber and three men from the Coast Guard set out to rescue the survivors of the sinking fleet. The movie is based on a true story and is considered one of the smallest rescue missions in Coast Guard history that saved 32 lives. Director Craig Gillespie helms the action drama along with stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, and Holliday Grainger.

The movie focuses on a sinking ship with Captain Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) directing his guys to safety. We also follow Bernie Webber, played by Chris Pine, who gets engaged to marry Miriam and the risks that come with being in the Coast Guard as it takes its toll on their relationship. By going out to sea on the rescue mission it doesn’t guarantee that Bernie or his men will come back alive. There being transitions between scenes on the oil tanker and the Coast Guard helped to not slow down the pace as we are constantly watching drama unfold.

It’s difficult to discern who had the better performance between Casey Affleck and Chris Pine because they both equally shared screen time. Both were solid in their roles although Affleck as Ray Sybert had more of an edge since he had to find ways to keep the stern of the ship afloat. In a situation where half the boat is gone and waves are pummeling the ship he was strong, calm, and determined that essentially got him and his crew saved. For Chris Pine, the story of him falling in love with Mariam which then leads them to getting engaged felt uneven at times. This would continue on as Webber must head out to sea which didn’t sit well with Mariam as she felt it was too dangerous. So much focus was put on their relationship that the narrative wasn’t as focused as it could have been.

Your engaged while watching the movie and are entertained by it as well. Many people may not know about ‘The Finest Hours‘ but if you stumble upon it and decide to catch it you will find it enjoyable to watch. Even though the movie may not linger in your mind for a very long time it just so happens to be a small story with just enough production value to recommend.

Rating: 6.5/10