A good way to honour brave men

Rating: 10/10 (26 February 2016)

26 February 2016 Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight - The Finest Hours. Well done Disney. This was a film filled with intense drama and although I wasn't on the very edge of my seat, the action had me firmly pushed into it. Based on a true story, it depicts the events of 1952 when two cargo ships had the misfortune to be broken up by a big storm. The bravery of the coast guard is honoured by this portrayal of the dangers faced, just in getting away from the land and before setting out to find the remains of a ship in zero visibility and freezing temperatures. Chris Pine plays Bernie Webber, a quiet, by the regulation, member of the Coastguard, who sets off with a crew of three to do the impossible. If this was a work of fiction you would be hard pressed to believe it, but being based on a true story I found myself willing the tiny lifeboat to mount each wave, not turn over and attack the next one with the fervour of men on a mission. I do like a good disaster movie, and this definitely falls into that category, but is much more sombre because it's true. Please stay and watch the credits, there are photos and newspaper cuttings of the real people involved with these events.