Adrift 2018 * * * Stars

Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Year: 2018
Rated PG-13
Rating: * * * Stars
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin, Jeffrey Thomas

Adrift is an ample love story, a factual account, and a shimmering tale of nautical survival. As far as new releases go in 2018, Adrift is like All Is Lost except that it has a non-linear narrative, less peril, and a heck of a lot more dialogue.

Note to Adrift's helmer, Baltasar Kormakur: Robert Redford called and wants his fixer upper can of epoxy back. Also, George Clooney phoned in and wants his scruffy, fisherman's beard back too. Finally, is there any way you could re-shoot Adrift in say, chronological order? I'm not saying what you did was second-rate. It's just arrant curiosity that's all.

Anyway, Adrift has affable leads (in the form of Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin), sympathetic performances, a kissing scene straight outta From Here to Eternity, a stirring musical score, and an "I see dead people" twist that I didn't "sea" coming. In retrospect, Adrift may be a little cut and dry for the Academy but it's far more poignant than any handheld, Open Water sequel.

Director Baltasar Kormakur shoots Adrift by cutting profusely between flashbacks and present day sequences. He creates a film that is stylish, lifelike, and subversive. Basically, his water level vision is all his own.

Kormakur's main focus is on drifter slash free spirit, Tami Oldham (played by Shailene Woodley who's mentioned earlier in the review). Tami befriends and falls in love with a mariner named Richard Sharp (played by Sam Claflin, also mentioned earlier). After a courtship of nearly five months, Tami and Richard get an offer to sail somebody's boat from Tahiti to San Diego, CA for $10,000. Chaos ensues when a hurricane causes said boat to ruin and drift hundreds of miles away from its intended destination. With minimal food, other minimal resources, and Sharp's leg and ribs being badly broken, the dedicated couple tries to keep from dying in the middle of the ocean.

In conclusion, Adrift has a weak sort of foundation for creating the look of 1983. Plus, the commercial nature of this flick, its various plot holes, and its far-fetched complexion of Tami's sailing skills keep it from fully doing justice via a true story fashion. Oh well. The acting pulls you through and the main characters are adorable and genuine. You feel their plight and their winsome chemistry without any pretension. My rating: 3 stars.

Written by Jesse Burleson