The Finest Hours Lifts You Up Honourably

Rating: 9/10 (19 June 2017)

This is somewhat of a modern milestone for a Hollywood-style movie. A gut-wrenching story based on a daring, factually based, historic sea rescue. The screenplay, written by Award nominated Scot Silver along with Eric Johnson & Paul Tamasy proves a strong point - that a powerful story can be told without resorting to the now 'trendy' course language - making it an all age spectacular. And, spectacular it is indeed. Based on Michael J.Tougias and co-author Casey Sherman's book of the same name, this exciting story literally dumps the viewer into a tiny Coast Guard rescue boat as it's being pounded by the most deadly seas of all.
Even though the CGI folk have overdone certain effects - some of the angry ocean scenes are often so convincing they leave you wanting to grab a towel to dry off or even check your life jacket is handy! A strong hand picked stellar cast convince all the way, while Chris Pine and Casey Affleck put in hard working performances as the heroic Coast Guard pilot and the engineer of a stricken cargo giant - that's been torn in two by massive winds and seas. Cynical viewers who have been seduced by hard-edged 'modern' scripts - need to be reminded that love in the 1950's moved at a slower, more thoughtful pace than the soulless in-your-face situations we see in movies today.
Photographically, The Finest Hours features stylish visuals by Spanish born D.O.P. Javier Aguirresarobe and the well-paced FX are all brought together with some neat direction by Australian Craig Gillespie - along with a Carter Burwell score. The atmospheric end title song 'Haul Away Joe' performed by Kodaline caps it off nicely (not to mention all those remarkable 50s cars!). All up it's refreshing, quite believable, high voltage entertainment, for those who want more than the comic book situations we get thrown at us all too often.
This one definitely deserves more attention and is recommended for a good night's inspirational entertainment - that most audiences should enjoy.