WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Triple Feature: The Boys in the Boat

Episode Date: April 3, 2025

This week, Triple Feature takes a look at George Clooney's "The Boys in the Boat."

This is Triple Feature with your host, Anna Eddie, Audrey Hunsbet, and McKenna Bambury, where we dive deep into the world of movies, rating, roasting, and raving about the best and worse of cinema. So grab your popcorn and let's get into it. Today, we will be reviewing The Boys in the Boat, directed by George Clooney. We will start with a plot overview, share our general takes on the film, explore some themes and character development, and finish up with our ratings of the movie. Woo! Yay.

You guys ready? Let's get it. All right. The Boys in the Boat is a sport drama movie based on a true story and the best-selling novel by Daniel James Brown. Set during the Great Depression, the film follows Joe Rance, played by Callum Turner, a determined young man at the University of Washington, abandoned by his family and struggling to afford college. He joins the University of Washington's rowing team, where he and eight other working class athletes train under the university. guidance of legendary coach Al Ubrickson, played by Joel Edgerton. The team, made up of underdogs from blue-collar backgrounds, must overcome immense physical

and emotional challenges to earn a spot at the Olympics. Despite facing elite East Coast rowing programs like Harvard and Yale and major dissension from administration, the Washington crew junior varsity team passes the varsity team and proves their resilience and teamwork, ultimately securing a place in the night. 1936 Berlin Games. There, they must compete against Adolf Hitler's highly favored German team in a race that symbolizes more than just athletic achievement. It becomes a moment of unity, perseverance, and triumph. Coach Olbrickson once doubted for his conservative coaching style and years without a major victory, silenced his critics by leading an untested group of working-class

rowers to triumph on the world's biggest stage. Did you plan that? This was a movie that I think Anna and I had already seen, but both really wanted to watch again. McKenna, for once, has finally not seen it. Let's go. We got her. I'm interested to hear McKenna's take first because we've already seen it. So McKenna, tell us, what were your thoughts?

So funny enough, my mom, like a week ago asked me if I had seen this because she had watched it. And she was like, you need you see this movie. So I'm really glad you guys recommended this. Shout out. It's on my list. This is Bambury. Thanks, Mama Lisa. Um, I really enjoyed this movie.

I really like historical dramas, especially after this week of watching all the historical dramas for the CCA. Oh, yeah. I feel like I've just been nonstop watching movies from like the early to mid-1900s. You're just continuing the trends No seriously In the history Yeah So overall I really enjoyed this

story and I've never been super into rowing But now I'm definitely a rowing fan After watching this I was kind of surprised that George Clooney directed this I don't know why I just I think of more I guess

Action crime Like with the Oceans movies So true Yeah, this just seemed like a much more serious movie. And, yeah, that was surprising. But go George Clooney. Did a great job. Yeah, overall, I think it was enjoyable.

Definitely a good family-friendly movie, I would say, for the most part. Yeah. Yeah. I would say so. Just a good, like, happy story. Happy endings. Yeah. Yeah.

I agree. Anna, thoughts? Yeah. I mean, I've already seen this movie once before, but I really like the story. I just think it's like such a classic uplifting sports movie that just like gets you excited about life and just like, it does. And like that sounds kind of dumb, but like, it's true. It just like it hypes you up.

And like, I was like, man, I love America. Like this just truly I was like, wow, like look at them. And like they just, they came from like struggling to just like being able to like persevere and like work really hard. And I just think that's such an uplifting story. And like you can really get a lot of people behind you when you have that kind of like story and really tell them like, I don't know, share a bigger message from that. So I just like thought it's obviously just like such a heartwarming story and like very uplifting. So it's just it's fun to watch because it's not like a difficult thing to, like, sit through and watch because...

No time traveling. No. No, it doesn't really, like, break your brain in that way. And it also doesn't, like, you don't have to work through anything really emotionally with the movie either. So it's just, it's a very, like, pleasant sit down. Yeah. Just watch the movie and just, like, take it in and be like, wow, like, I feel very,

like, uplifted. Yeah. My heart is warm and happy. And, like, ah, yes. Oh, this is great. I would agree. I think it's interesting because normally, like, well, I actually am such a sucker for like uplifting movies. I like to pretend I'm not and I'm like, ah.

We all love a good, happy ending. I know. I love. Peace love and love. Yeah. No, I do like that. And like there's, there were so many times, even though it's so funny, even though I've seen the movie before and I knew what happened, there was so many moments where I was sort of caught off guard even though I'd seen the movies at the same time. Like I still, I'd seen the movie already, but I was still like, oh, my.

my gosh. Are they going to win? Same outcome going to happen? I'm sitting on the couch, like, on the edge of my seat. I actually totally agree. Because I was like, it's still, I was like, oh my gosh, like, are they going to make it? I don't know. I'm freaking out, even though you know the outcome.

You know. But I agree. I feel like you guys kind of spoiled it for me. Sorry. What? Anna was yappened during. I was. That's my bad.

So anyway, my toxic trait about watching these kinds of movies is, like, thinking I can do it too. Oh my gosh. When I see them, I'm like, I know, like, I've, to be fair, I have, I did do crew a little bit back in high school. And, like, I know that that is, like, so ridiculously physically taxing. So it's very difficult. But, like, when I'm in movies like that, even when I was watching Miracle on Ice with the men's Olympic ice hockey team, I was like, oh, I can do that. Like, I can do that. Why is it every sports movie?

I'm like, I'm going to go do that sport now and be amazing. Yep. Like, I'm going to go literally, like, run the hockey one. I feel like that's how you know that it was a good movie. Because it helped. It's supposed to uplift you. Yeah, it encourages you to go do all the things. Yeah.

So I did love that. I really like the father's son, like, many plot in that. Okay. And the story and kind of how his dad, like, we would see glimpses, whether it was true or not, like donate to them raising money to get to the Olympics. and then, like, watching them compete after having basically, like, given up his son or, like, abandoned him. Yeah. I thought that was sweet.

Yeah, they have such an interesting relationship. Yeah, super interesting. And I really just couldn't imagine, like, being in that time after the Great Depression in. Yeah. Like, I think that we have to work hard. I think that we have, like, economic problems, which, yeah, a lot of people do, but nothing compared to that. Having to raise yourself at 14. Yeah, that's insane.

And, like, figure out paying for. your life and just like sustaining yourself that moment that scene where like he's like I don't owe you anything and you don't owe me anything who which is the father's son joe's dad yeah Joe's dad and then Joe when they were like talking it's just crazy that they just basically were like strangers but then then it's like interesting like you were saying before that like he still part of there was a part of his father that was still like connected to him because he wanted to support him and he wanted to like still I don't know yeah I kind of wish that they milked that story a little more yeah there wasn't a lot about that like you saw glimpses overall I didn't feel like there was a lot

of tension like every I don't know maybe it was just me but I felt like the maybe the how do I wear this I felt like the mood of the movie was kind of similar the whole time yeah even when when they won. I don't know what it was, but I felt like they didn't sit in tension long enough. Like when they were raising the money, they were like $300 short, and they all like came to that conclusion

that, oh, we only have a few hours left to get these guys to the Olympics. And then two seconds later, the cow guy walks in. Yeah. Like there wasn't enough to like have that, I think, sit long enough for then it to feel like a victory.

Or even like with, yeah, the racing scenes. I don't know. I don't know if that was just me, but I didn't find them to build the tension like enough. Like I, I don't know. Maybe I just like kind of expected the outcome. No, I get that.

I think I honestly just think they didn't have enough time in the movie to be able to like two hours have. I know, which it was still super long, but I think it's just a very. There were a lot of things to cover. Like there's a lot of components in that story. So I think for them to. I do wish like you said they had something that they like again had to fight against like a loss or like something. Yeah, like build that tension to then like have that insane moment at the end like, oh my gosh, they won. Right.

But I like I wonder if that was kind of like the maybe they should have built the tension more at the beginning of like, oh, their struggles instead of having those little moments of like, oh, like you see the holes in their shoes or the like tattered clothing instead of like those subtle moments. moments more of like a larger moment to maybe like drive home that ending like I kind of wish I saw like either Joe or some of the other characters like really struggling with their poverty like emotionally and not just physically yeah yeah that's so fair like there wasn't like a huge emotional like element I think I feel like okay I would agree for the beginning but then I think in the second half there is like Joe does sort of fall into a slumber where he's like recovering from having seen his father because he's he sees his father unexpectedly and his dad has just come back after having abandoned him and Joe sees him for the first time since he was 14 and he's like I didn't know you were back in Washington because Joe's dad gone to California. His dad's like, oh, I've been back for two years and Joe is just kind of like in a stupor. He doesn't know how to react. And then he gets kicked out of the boat for a second because he's not he's not with the team. He's like the coach says he's like rowing at his.

own pace and he's not following Don who sits in front of him, which I think is a little bit of tension. But again, there were like glimpses of it, which I think they could have built up more. Yeah. I think based on true events, those movies can get difficult to. Oh, yeah, definitely. Like how much do you want to stray away from the actual story? It's trade off for sure. Right. Totally. So. But like I think they really just wanted to make like an uplifting story. Absolutely. Pretty much for most of the plot. Okay, well, maybe that's something we can recommend in our next meeting with George Clooney. So true.

So anyway. George, do you hear us? Next thought that I wanted to talk about was the side plot of Joe Rance and Joyce Simdar's love story. Because I think that is sort of sprinkled throughout the movie. Yeah. So there is, like, the movie does center around Joe. And he's in class at the beginning of the movie. there's a girl who's sort of just like lovingly staring at him

and then they wound up realizing that they were in fourth grade class together back in the day and Joe had given Joyce a card because he had a big crush on her and then she ultimately we find out that like she had kept it all these years in case she ran into him again. I mean it's almost like too good to be true

that they wound up finding each other again in college but I think something that I thought was pretty cool about their relationship was that she just supported him throughout like everything that he was going through with the rowing team and like even though he was traveling a lot and like going all over the place like she was so she was always behind him she was helping raise money when the team needed money she was always there and like I think that sometimes when there's love stories sprinkled into a movie that the point isn't romance it can definitely detract from the main point of the movie and I think that in contrast

to where we didn't feel there was enough tension I think that there was the perfect amount of like romance because it wasn't the focus but it was still like human enough to know that like oh like they did have lives outside of row right like yeah added a different like later i think yeah even not only their relationship but the coach and his wife yeah like the um girlfriends and the wives in the movie definitely seemed like a more emotionally sturdy figure which isn't usually the case, I don't think. That's so true. Yeah.

Like they seem to provide a lot of the emotional support and encouragement that usually I find like the male figures. Yeah. No, but I think that, but I think that's true to reality. Yeah. Like really great like men can go do great things because like they have women who are able to like support them and like create an environment where they feel like strong. and supported and like, I don't know. And then they're able to, like, go out and, like, do more. And then, like, yeah, I don't know.

I just think it's cool that the women are able to, like, be such a supporting role, like, for the both of them, like, the coach and for Joe. And, like, I love that moment after they had won at Poughkeepsie, I think it was, the first, like, race that they had done. The qualifier for the Olympics. Yeah. And he, like, does a little, like, shout out for Joyce

on the radio. That was so cute because he's like, my girl and she was like, oh my gosh, like... She was beaming. Yeah, it was so cute because it just was like, but truly like if you thought about yourself on that spot, I'd be like, oh my gosh, like so cute.

Shout out on the radio. Yeah. I think there's a very nostalgic element of that old romance that was... Bring it back. It was so cute. And I think like their diner scene when they were together

and we were like to be in a diner like those retro diners and share milk shake they're a little like boat ride like they're just all those scenes were just

very like sweet yes and also Hadley the Joyce Simdars is played by Hadley Robinson she's so staking cute oh my gosh so adorable

she played that role they both were just very like sweet like I didn't this sounds weird. I didn't feel like, ached out by their romance. I was like, this is so wholesome. And like, I love how gentle, like, he is with her and, like, how sweet she is and, like, the two of them together. Like, I don't feel like gross. Like, ew. Sorry, I'm gonna that's a bunny trail here.

Go for it. Um, Don Hume, who is another rower in the movie. I read, he wound up actually going to fight in World War II and then started working, like, in real life. Yeah. And then he went to go work, I think, on like an oil plant or something afterwards and then died. I think he was like, well, I'm not even going to venture a date because I can't remember. But yeah, but anyway, so real life, it's cool to see how they happen. I think just natural causes. Oh, okay. I was like, he died all the oil thing?

No, hell no. Poor guy. Yeah, no. So anyway, but he was a great, I would say, character that kind of added another layer to the movie. Yeah. because he was silent. Like, he was very, very quiet, barely spoke a word that was part of his character.

And then... And yet you loved him. He didn't say anything. He was so shy at all. But I was like rooting for him the whole time like, yes, Don. Like, let's go. Yeah, he was such a sweetie. He was just so sweet.

Yeah, he was great. I think that was a good part of the plot, which can take us into our ratings of plot, cinematography, and acting. So we'll go through. through each category and then we'll all rate them. So, Anna, you want to start with plot? Sure. Thoughts out of ten? Um, where do I? I don't know. Based off what we talked about before, like, I definitely love the movie and I think that it's super uplifting, but I totally get what McKenna was saying before that like there could have been a little bit more tension. But again, like,

how much do you stray from like historical reality? How much artistic, like, vision do you want to give it? I'm going to give it an 8.5. Sweet. I feel like that's still pretty high. Yeah. Because I do just, I love just a heartwarming movie, you know? So good. Doesn't make you cry.

Ken? I think just, yeah, based off what I said earlier, I just wish I could have attached to it a bit more. Sure. So I would probably give it. a seven okay i think i'm gonna fall right in between but air on the side of eight because i really i just love the movie and i think watching it a second time i also picked up on some more elements i think there were some really cool elements that kind of made it made the plot more interesting

but definitely not the best it could be so i would give it an eight all right so that's that and then what about cinematography i didn't think it was bad i mean i wouldn't have like i wouldn't just look at this movie and be like, oh, one of the like key features is like cinematography. That wasn't the main like thing that I was like focusing on in the movie, I guess. Gotcha. I guess maybe I just wasn't honestly looking at it. I think I was just like more there for the plot. Yeah, can I remember which one?

I mean, I mean, I'll give it an eight. Okay. Ken? Um, I think I'll definitely be rating cinematography higher. I did really like it. I noticed that they would use a vignette around the corners of the, of the, shots to make it look more old-timey. Vintage?

Yeah. Vintage, yeah. Which I thought was super unique and a good idea. I will give it an 8.5. I would rate, actually, I'm going to rate the cinematography higher. I really liked it. I've done rowing before and I know that feeling. So when they're like gritting their teeth, I'm like, yep, been there.

But yeah, and I think that there was unique camera placement that captured the synchronized movements of the rowing. That's so true. Which I think is pivotal because if you're not rowing in sync with everyone else in the boat, I mean, you're going to go sideways, you're not going to go diagonally, you're not going to make it forward. So I think they did a good job for the purposes of the movie. So I'll give it a nine. Okay, acting.

I really liked the acting. I really liked the coach, Edgerton. Joel Edgerton, yeah. I thought he did a great job. So overall, I really liked the acting. I'll give it also an 8.5. I think overall I'll give acting Yeah probably an 8 or an 8.5

Oh, I really liked Bobby's character Same. He was kind of this little nerd That's kind of cocky too Yeah, he was He was like this little arrogant boy You just want to like flick in the forehead But he was very pivotal And ultimately got them to the win.

Audrey? I loved it. I'm giving it a 9.5 I loved Callum Turner I love Tadley Robinson I loved their love story 9.5 for that So Anna's got 25 out of 30

Kenny's got a 24 out of 30 and I've got a 26 and a half out of 30 So pretty high ratings And I think we enjoyed this movie Would recommend Yes 10 out of 10. Good to feel good

I recommend Well thank you all for listening to Triple Feature on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. We're your hosts. McKen of Bramberry and Eddie and Audrey Huntsbet and we'll see you next week. Bye.