While our line of work may have promises of additional pay for risking life and limb just to go to work. There are other jobs that are simply an occupational hazard by nature; Police officers, firemen, all run toward danger instead of following the human instinct of running away from it-and with no added pay.
'The Finest Hours' brings the greatest small boat rescue mission in history to the big screen, based on the novel of the same name audiences are transported to Massachusetts in 1952. They are introduced to 24 year old Bernie (Bah-ney) Webber (Chris Pine) who, unlike his Capt. Kirk alter-ego, is an unsure, self-conscious coast guard who doesn't seem to wear the pants in the relationship. This is blatantly proven when his (then) girlfriend, Mariane (Me-ri-ane) (Holliday Grangier) is the one who pops the question.
As if to test the newly engaged couple's perseverance, the very next day after an almost botched proposal, the S.S. Pendelton, a T2 Oil Tanker is literally split in half, amidst a nor'easter (a macro-scale storm along the upper East Coast of the US and Canada) off the coast of Cape Cod, leaving its surviving crew of 32 men hoping against hope to survive. The ship's Chief Engineer, Ray Sybert, a fast-thinking, quick on his feet, aloof Casey Affleck becomes the de-facto Captain, the crew relying on his intensive knowledge of the ship to stay afloat long enough for them to be rescued.
In a wicked twist of faith, another oil tanker, the Fort Mercer was also split in half (Phew! What a busy night!). The Coast Guards from Boston and Nantucket have all been dispatched to the Fort Mercer, leaving the Chatham Station, where Bernie is a First Class Coast Guard, on it's own in it's attempted rescue of The Pendleton. Only four of the Fort Mercer's crew members survived.
Warrant Officer Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana) orders Bernie to pick a crew and to go out on the next to impossible mission. So, in a wooden 36-foot life boat, the four young men, led by Bernie, make their way in the dark, cold raging sea. Their mission made even deadlier by the Chatham Bars, or 'bars' pronounced in the thick Massachusetts accent as 'baaaaahs'. The bar is described as 'a collection of ever-shifting shoals with flood currents carrying ocean waves that can splinter small boats in a matter of seconds...and this is in normal weather.' The Cape Cod bay was often referred to as the "graveyard of the Atlantic" and has a history of about 3,000 shipwrecks over several centuries.
As if getting to the Pendelton was the only problem, how would a small lifeboat, made for twelve fit thirty-two survivors and their four rescuers?
I'm a sucker for based-on-a-true-story movies, especially when they are period pieces and while The Finest Hours checks in all of these, my issue with the film is it's pacing, with the actual resuce happening towards the end of the film. What the film tries to accomplish though is the actual 'choice' that Chris Pine's character Bernie has to make in deciding to push through with what is nothing less than a suicide mission. This is clearly evident with one of the concerned townsfolk practically telling Bernie- 'just go around and pretend you tried to go but couldn't, no one will blame you'. That's very tempting, considering there is a beautiful lady waiting for you in a warm house.
There are some unnecessary sub plots which I felt could have been taken out in the film and a sequence towards the end that I just found weird.
Despite the setbacks, I still enjoyed the film, with it's under water, over water sequences and the thrilling and daring true to life rescue. I enjoyed watching Chris Pine and Casey Affleck on screen, Affleck delivering an impressive performance, despite the few lines that he had, you could see him thinking a thousand thoughts in an instant with his facial expressions. He was subtle and soft-spoken but whenever he did speak, it was like the spotlight was on him. I also enjoyed the 'firecracker' character of Mariane, whose 1950's glamour was a welcome sight in a mostly male cast.
The end credits, feature the photos of the real people on which the movie was based on, as well as the actual newspaper clippings about the incredible story. I'm always a sucker for those too.
6.5 out of 10 ⭐️ The Finest Hours is a beautiful true-to-life-story and a great example of the strength and courage of the human spirit and a testament to individuals who run towards danger and risk their life for others on a daily basis.
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