During the years after the 1929 stock market crash, the United States struggled economically. After 1930 till about 1940, many businesses failed and closed their doors affecting many people all over the country. Most of the citizens had trouble keeping work and even finding new jobs, causing many to move throughout the country in search of employment. With severe droughts in the Midwest and the southern Great Plains region, enormous amounts of vegetation began to die, eventually causing massive dust storms throughout this area. Many homes were destroyed including entire towns, forcing many families to become homeless. This was referred to as the “Dirty Thirties” or the “Dust Bowl” (US Depression Era), and many survivors were now penniless. Of those now poor they found vacant areas and built shack styles homes, lived in tents, or slept in their cars on this land. Food lines were created in many cities in an attempt to help the troubled survive (also known in a negative way as hobo’s).
In the 1930’s the University of Washington row team was fighting a losing battle and had not been successful in recent years. With the 1936 Olympics coming up, and the search for the best collegiate row team scheduled to represent the United States, many universities were preparing to compete for the National title and to receive that invitation. What university planned to do was to locate as many interested individuals with hopes that they could find eight new members to challenge the varsity on a daily basis and make them better. The Huskies head coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton), assistant coach Tom Bolles (James Wolk), and team boat builder George Pocock (Peter Guinness), have a huge task to decide and train the new participants to dawn this task.

Luke Slattery as Bobby Moch in director George Clooney’s THE BOYS IN THE BOAT An Amazon MGM Studios Film Photo credit: Laurie Sparham © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Living in an old car, Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), an engineering student at UW, was desperately looking for a job to pay for his tuition and a better place to live. Among many makeshift shacks and old vehicles that dawned the fields where the homeless live in 1936, Joe was having to make due and survive since he was left behind at the age of 14. Being poor and having to find a way to put himself through school required that any paying labor role would help him make it through. When in search of some sort of work, Joe makes friends, in one of his classes, with Roger Morris (Sam Strike), who is currently living with his sister and her cats, and Joyce Simdars (Hadley Robinson). Here he finds out that Roger is also looking for employment so he can move out on his own.
One day Roger finds out that if you make the rowing team, the school would cover your room and board and pay for your tuition. Together Joe and Roger begin the grueling task of becoming one of the eight junior varsity rowers, along with, Don Hume (Jack Mulhern), Piano player, Chuck Day (Thomas Elms), Bobby Moch (Luke Slattery), Geroge “Shorty” Hunt (Bruce Herbelin-Earle), Jim “Stub” McMillin (Wil Coban), Johnny White (Thomas Stephen Varey), and Gordy Adam (Joel Phillimore). The adventure is just beginning as the eight lads along with many others go through the rigorous workouts to hopefully prove that they can be one of the new associates in the club.
Director George Clooney does a fantastic job putting together this unique underdog story that demonstrates strong integrity and hard work that these young men displayed in a very difficult time in our country. Clooney placed excellent details that expressed this narrative on the big screen and brought us on a wonderful ride to glory. The realistic costumes, makeup, props, structures, sets, and locations used throughout the film help bring this tale to life.
Developing a great adaptation of probably one of the greatest rowing team’s at University of Washington and one of the best underdog stories in United States history. This team consistently broke US records and beat their own varsity team regularly. The journey of this historic group that shocked the world is a wonderful adventure that goes through their ride to the top.

An Amazon MGM Studios film Photo credit: Laurie Sparham © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Final Comment: I based my grade on a spectacular rendition of an amazing historical display of human spirit and a genuine presentation of these events.
Stars 4 out of 5

Additional Film Information
Cast: Callum Turner, James Wolk, Peter Guinness, Sam Strike, Hadley Robinson, Jack Mulhern, Thomas Elms, Luke Slattery, Bruce Herbelin-Earle, Wil Coban, Thomas Stephen Varey, Joel Phillimore, Chris Diamantopoulos, and Joel Edgerton.
Directed by: George Clooney
Genre: Biography, Drama, and Sport
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for language and smoking.
Running Time: 2 hours and 4 minutes.
Release Date: December 25, 2023
Distributed By: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Release In: Standard