Review - The Swimmers

Directed by: Sally El Hosaini
Written by: Sally El Hosaini, Jack Thorne
Starring: Manal Issa, Nathalie Issa, Ahmed Malek, Matthias Schweighofer, Ali Suliman, Kinda Alloush, James Krishna Floyd
Running Time: 134 minutes
Rating: 3.5/5

It only takes a quick viewing of the trailer for The Swimmers to get a solid sense of the type of movie you’re about to experience, and with that in mind, Swimmers does a good job of positioning itself among the most enjoyable of the genre. However, it ultimately sinks under the weight of its own bloat, missing the podium by just a little bit.

The drama directed by Sally El Hosaini is based on a screenplay co-written with Jack Thorne that tells the real story of Olympian refugee Yusra Mardini and her incredible trek to safety across the Aegean Sea.

There’s much to rescue from this movie. Sara and Yusra (played by sisters Manal and Nathalie Issa) try to keep their inherited passion for swimming alive in the face of the constant bombings occurring in Damascus. El Hosaini capably is able to capture the constant danger the young girls find themselves in, and the motivation the father has to let them emigrate to Germany. The movie is perhaps most effective when displaying the reality that refugees are often faced with when making this journey, whether it's a pile of life vests on the shores representing those fortunate enough to succeed in their mission or the further impediments that need to be overcome once you arrive and are granted asylum.

“Swimmers does a good job of positioning itself among the most enjoyable of the genre. However, it ultimately sinks under the weight of its own bloat, missing the podium by just a little bit.”

In fact, when it swims in the waters of the familiar, El Hosaini shows incredible nuance and promise. She’s able to obtain excellent performances from the Issa sisters, whose own familiarity perfectly carries through to the big screen both in the moments of difficulty and tension, as well as those of love and support.

But as the movie approaches the third act of the overarching story, the addition of the Olympic participation pales in comparison to all the greater accomplishments the titular swimmers have already obtained. Yusra placing 41st in the butterfly style at the Rio Olympics doesn’t pack the punch that the movie had been building up toward.

While the Swimmers ends up being imperfect, it’s still a story built on the concept of hope and perseverance; themes that are sure to make connections with all those that head to the theatres in search of such a journey. If you’re an old veteran of the genre, this one might just be a wait and see it on Netflix.