The Boys in the Boat review: "George Clooney's old-school sports drama is solid but predictable"
Jan. 8, 2024Clooney steers his well-made, old-fashioned sports drama with style and skill. But it’s never quite oar-some.
Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.
Adapted from Daniel James Brown’s bestseller, The Boys in the Boat is a real-life underdog story, one that zeroes in on Callum Turner’s proud but penniless Depression-era student Joe Ranz, who desperately battles for a crew place just for the free board and lodging.
Director Clooney’s sweaty close-ups of the crew’s back-breaking training adroitly emphasise the teamwork that gruff coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton) instils into his team of argumentative, mostly working-class recruits, who combat their hard times with inspiringly hard work.
Any attempt at Chariots of Fire-style emotional intensity is tanked, however, by Callum Turner’s unhelpfully laconic, low-key performance. He’s effortlessly overshadowed by a brooding turn from Jack Mulhern (Mare of Easttown) as the boat’s enigmatic lead oarsman.
More info
Kate is a freelance film journalist and critic. Her bylines have appeared online and in print for GamesRadar, Total Film, the BFI, Sight & Sounds, and WithGuitars.com.
Joel Edgerton chats new sports movie The Boys in the Boat, fan-favorite Warrior, and wanting to “get back” at George Clooney
George Clooney and The Boys in the Boat stars discuss training for the sports drama: “it was almost spiritual”
“It seems we’ve missed the mark”: As their Steam review score drops to 14%, Dauntless devs wade into feedback after a disastrous update that gutted progress
