THE PERFECT STORM ------------------
In 1991, the swordfish boat Andrea Gail left Gloucester, Massachusetts in October, late in the season, because its captain, Billy Tyne (George Clooney) wanted to prove he could still find the fish. He pushed his boat farther into the Atlantic than most boats normally ventured mid-season.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Grace, which had been dying off the coast of Bermuda, met up with an old frontal system from New England and a new one coming out of the Great Lakes, rejuvenating itself into one perfect storm right in the Andrea Gail's pathway home.
LAURA:
Wolfgang Petersen, director of the below-water submarine classic "Das Boot," creates the surface maelstrom of Sebastian Junger's bestseller from a screenplay adaptation by William D. Wittliff.
The film begins on location in Gloucester, where the Andrea Gail's disappointed crew receive less than their expected wages, even as they're thrilled to be reunited with friends and family at The Crow's Nest, the local watering hole presided over by Ethel Shatford (Janet Wright, TV's "More Tales of the City," "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains" (with Diane Lane)). Her son, rookie fisherman Bobby Shatford (Mark Wahlberg, "Three Kings") only wants to stay in the game to make the quick cash needed to regain custody of his girlfriend Christina's (Diane Lane, "My Dog Skip") children, even though she begs him to take a safer, albeit less lucrative job. When Tyne decides to head out one more time, Shatford signs up as does old salt Murph (John C. Reilly, "Magnolia"), who's paying child support to a wife he still loves but lost over his seafaring absences. Bugsy (John Hawkes (I), "Blue Streak) is attempting to begin a new relationship with Irene (Rusty Schwimmer, "Amistad") the night before they sail, while Alfred Pierre (Allen Payne, "A Price Above Rubies") kisses goodbye the blonde he just kissed hello. Tyne also recruits new crew member Sully (William Fichtner, "Go") which doesn't go down well with Murph because the man once had an affair with his ex-wife.
The trip seems jinxed from the outset as the swordfish supply dries up and Bobby has a run-in with a shark that's hauled aboard. Murphy gets hauled overboard and under when he's hooked by a line (ironically it's Sully who dives in first to save him) and a rogue wave challenges the whole crew. Then Tyne announces he's heading for the Finnish Cap, a distant point that causes grumbling among the men until they begin to haul in swordfish like there's no tomorrow. Meanwhile, the audience is clued in to the birth of the devasting storm by witnessing the plight of three people (Bob Gunton, Karen Allen and Cherry Jones) forced to issue Mayday from a yacht and the weather reports being watched in fear back on the barstools of Gloucester.
"The Perfect Storm" bears some resemblance to another seafaring flick, Stephen Spielberg's "Amistad," a film of quality that demanded admiration without quite achieving a strong emotional response in the viewer. Petersen and his special effects/technical crew deliver an astoundingly realistic storm and put the viewer into the thick of it, whether on the Gail or inside a Coast Guard rescue copter. The screenplay establishes character background, yet once on the boat, the Andrea Gail's crew isn't all that distinguishable in the face of the elements, unlike, say the three disparate shark hunters of "Jaws." They become symbols of 'man against nature,' while the women at home too fleetingly (yet ably) provide the emotional impact.
Better is the irony that those who suffered - both the luxury yacht vacationers and the blue collar fisherman, wouldn't have been in their ultimate predicaments if it weren't for the almighty dollar (the yacht's owner foolishing refuses to abandon his boat and the Gloucestermen decide to head back through the storm instead of losing their 60,000 lbs. of swordfish), although this doesn't extend to the heroic rescuers, one of whom was lost.
"The Perfect Storm" boasts a fine cast, yet the standout performances are to be found in minor supporting players. Janet Wright embodies the tough and gruffly tender North Shore bartender Ethel, whom the fishermen's women lean on. Two beautifully real, funny and honest moments are created between Hodge's hopeful Bugsy and Rusty Schwimmer's initially distrustful Irene. The bigger stars are solid, although a concensus of emphasis on the Boston area accent would have been nice, with native son Wahlberg underplaying his, Diane Lane pushing hers north to Maine and the rest waffling to varying degrees in the middle.
Technically the film is top notch with the aforementioned effects, cinematography by John Seale ("The Talented Mr. Ripley"), editting by Richard Francis-Bruce and sound by Keith A. Wester and Eric Gotthelf - these are the credits that are most likely to be rewarded with Oscar nominations. James Horner's ("Titanic") score, however, is rather pedestrian.
B
ROBIN:
The swordfish boat Andrea Gail, also called a long-liner for the miles of fishing gear they play out for a night's fishing, has not had a good season. Her captain, Billy Tyne (George Clooney), has always prided himself on "getting the fish," so he decides to take the risk of a late season run, unknowingly setting a course that will bring him and his crew in harm's way of director Wolfgang Petersen's "The Perfect Storm."
The lucrative North Atlantic fishing grounds is a hard place to make a living in the best of weather. In 1991, late season hurricane Grace took an uncharacteristic turn away from the East Coast of the United States and barreled out into the Atlantic. Simultaneously, two other storms formed nearby with alarming intensity. These three massive weather systems collided directly in the path of the Andrea Gail and these events are brought to life on the big screen from Sebastian Junger's book, the true-life adventure, "The Perfect Storm." The book covers far more than the fate of the missing Gloucester boat and deals with the destiny of other unfortunates who experience the real power of Mother Nature. As expected, the film has a very different focus than the Junger nonfiction novel.
The movie, directed by the talented Wolfgang Petersen ("Das Boot") and adapted for the screen by William D. Wittliff and Bo Goldman, takes the essence of the very technical details of Junger's book and gives it a human face. As you'd expect in a major F/X event film such as "The Perfect Storm," the emphasis is on the raw power of the gigantic storm. The characters are introduced quickly, personalities and conflicts are established immediately, then the filmmakers get down to the business of making an epic scale disaster flick. The actors aren't just along for the ride, but they do take a back seat to the stupendous storm of the title.
As such, "The Perfect Storm" does exactly what it sets out to do. Petersen and his team pour their film crafting talents into the project and come out with a first rate adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat once the action begins. The seamless nature of the awesome storm effects defies the viewer to see the F/X sleight of hand that takes place on the screen. The immensity of the perfect storm is depicted with an incredible realism that makes you almost feel the rain, wind and waves. And there are some big mutha waves!
The screenplay centers on the last trip of the doomed Andrea Gail, one of the Gloucester fishing fleet that survives on its annual haul of swordfish. It's a fickle business, though, and the key is not to catch the most fish, but to get it back to port first, when the prices are best. Captain Tyne gambles that being the only sworder out in the stormy Atlantic in November is worth the risk to get a successful haul. The captain and his crew, going much farther out than normal this trip, make a killing and fill the holds with swordfish. The giant storm is not a problem - until the ship's ice making machine irreparably breaks down, forcing the Andrea Gail to save the catch by taking the direct path home - into the heart of the storm of the century.
The production is first class on many levels. The working class, blue color costuming, with loads of flannel, by Erica Phillips ("The General's Daughter) practically reeks of fish. Set design by William Sandell ("Deep Blue Sea"), especially the confines of the Andrea Gail, are convincing. John Seale's great lensing captures the feel of Gloucester and provides fast and furious filming during the action sequences. Kudos to the F/X team, with the help of Industrial Light & Magic, that creates 100-foot waves, spectacular air-sea rescue action and gut wrenching sequences that squelched any desire I had to become a swordfisherman.
Although the cast of "The Perfect Storm" plays second fiddle to the special F/X, they are, to a man and woman, professional and give as much depth to their characters as allowed. Clooney plays Captain Tyne as a cool professional sailor, but one whose facade is showing cracks in his self-confidence. Mark Wahlberg dusts off his Boston accent for the role of Bobby Shatford, the rookie crewman on the Andrea Gail who Tyne calls a natural seaman. John C. Reilly and William Fichtner play adversaries, Murph and Sully, who drop their animosity when danger arises. Those left back on land make the most out of their small roles, especially Janet Wright who plays Bobby's mother and friend to his girlfriend, Christina Cotter (Diane Lane).
More interesting and believable than "Mission: Impossible 2," but not nearly the fun of "Shaft," "The Perfect Storm" is the perfect picture for the looming hot summer nights. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone planning a cruise anytime soon. I give it a B+.
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