‘The Finest Hours’ Film Summary
The 2016 film, The Finest Hours, tells the astonishing story of a U.S. Coast Guard rescue mission. Directed by Craig Gillespie, it is based on the book by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. The book forgoes fictionalization to tell the real tale of the Coast Guard’s daring 1952 rescue. Like the book, the film captures the essence of bravery intertwined with struggle and sacrifice beautifully.
The story is based in Chatham, Massachusetts which is a small town on Cape Cod. The protagonist, Bernie Webber, is coast guard boatswain’s mate stationed at the Chatham Lifeboat Station. He is a rule-abiding serviceman and suffers from self-doubt, but is a brave and dedicated sailor. He is deeply in-debt with a past mission and is emotionally burdened by it. He is shown to be in a romantic relationship with a strong-willed woman by the name of Miriam who is a telephone operator and is portrayed by Holliday Grainger.
Amid one of the worst snowstorms to hit the East Coast, the SS Pendleton and SS Fort Mercer oil tankers met unfathomable weather and were split in half on February 18, 1952, one of the most devastating storms recorded in history. The SS Pendleton is the focus of this film as the stern portion of the Pendleton remained adrift with over 30 crew members trapped in a slowly sinking ship. The ship was out of radio range and desperately waiting for help. In the ship, Chief Engineer Ray Sybert, played by Casey Affleck, fiercely leads his men to survive the trip and make it out alive.
At the Chatham station, commanding Officer Daniel Cluff, played by Eric Bana, learns of the disastrous event and promptly springs to action, commanding Bernie and a small crew to attempt a rescue using a 36 foot wooden lifeboat, the CG 36500. Bernie, with the rest of his team, is set off to the deadly seas with extreme cold, towering waves, and less than zero visibility. The ship was set loose to the deadly seas without a compass after it’s navigation system failed early on in the trip. The off shore ship crew aboard included Mel Gouthro, Kyle Gallner, Richard Live, Ben Foster, and John Magaro.
When the captain and officers are absent on the Pendleton, Ray Sybert steps up. He has the technical knowledge and poise needed to help the crew let the stern section maroon deeper into the shoals while manually steering away from the very shallow areas. Sybert is not one to embrace a commanding role, but his steadfast spirit and innovation do not let his fellow sailors give up as long as they are alive.
The film shifts from the dramatic scenes of Bernie to the daring attempts of the crew of Pendleton to stay alive. As expected, the crew of the Coast Guard are also not having it easy as they get thrown into the battle of heavy waves. With no directional gadgets, Bernie and his people preposterously manage to save thirty two sailors plus the crew inside the stern section of Pendleton, finally finishing the movie.
The highlight of the movie is the townspeople shining their headlights from the shore as they aid in guiding Bernie on his boat through the thick fog to safety. Miraculously, Bernie makes it back with the whole crew of the Pendleton’s stern, one of the small-boat rescues in Coast Guard history.
Cast & Crew:
Chris Pine as Bernie Webber
Pine plays Bernie far from his usual action-hero roles. He comes off as calm, humble, and complex. He stays in control and delivers the inner strength over bravado. Pine’s grounded portrayal makes the character’s heroism even more powerful.
Casey Affleck as Ray Sybert
Affleck captures the reluctant yet resourceful leader aboard the Pendleton. His commanding presence makes Sybert one of the film’s standout characters.
Holliday Grainger as Miriam Pentinen
Grainger’s Miriam is more than just a girlfriend. She characterizes emotional strength. She motivates Bernie, demonstrating that courage encompasses the willingness to defy authority and makes sacrifices for loved ones.
Kelly McGillis and Bruce Campbell are also part of the cast as Ben’s crewmates.
They aptly fit into and nurture the emotional and dramatic parts of the rescue team’s diacase. Especially noteworthy is the role of the veteran and cynical seaman, Livesey, played by Ben Foster.
John Magaro takes over the role of Clem, gaining the rank of petty officer.
As a section chief in the Coast Guard, he is rather quite tense as captured by Bana. Circling Cluff’s character, he, as a Coast Guard officer, is very stern and comes to trust Bernstein, to whom, he has to trust at first.
Gillespie has worked on a range of projects, including his last feature, I, Tonya, and the rather offbeat Lars and the Real Girl. There, I, Tonya, depicted real events, hence he is known for his sincerity, here, in I, The Finest Hours, he utilized an emotional approach while grasping huge scenes of disasters with an accent on transparency and sharpness.
There are numerous accounts on the actions in the book with a sober relation towards the makeover which that was added, capturing the main point about the items of bravery and dog’s devotion.
Aguirresarobe was able to create quite wonderful frames which depict the southern surface of the New England, a scream elevator of the native seas and, as well, parts of New England. Moreover, a little Island from a very last town has more shots from the films of I, The Apart. These are always, I have to say, very impressive. Also, Ian is quite unfriendly to the besh monsters.
Music: Carter Burwell
Carter Burwell’s score serves to heighten emotional moments in the story, often blending seamlessly with the sound design to highlight moments of still dread and heroic determination.
IMDb Ratings & Critical Reception:
The Finest Hours holds a 6.8/10 rating on IMDb, which indicates a decent reception. While somewhat mixed, the audiences appreciated the film’s earnest tone, thrilling rescue sequences, and historical grounding. What stood out most to viewers was the story’s inspirational core of an act of unwavering heroism in the most extreme conditions.
The film received positive reviews for the performances of Chris Pine and Casey Affleck, the convincing portrayal of coastal America in the 1950s, and the intense maritime sequences. However, the film received criticism for its pacing and traditional structure. Some reviewers described the romance as a bit cliché, and several others pointed out that the supporting characters lacked adequate development.
Regardless of the critiques, The Finest Hours was praised for the sincerity and steadfast respect it displayed for real-life events. The film serves as a tribute to the U.S. Coast Guard and stands as a stark reminder of the courage and selflessness of those who risk their lives for others.
Conclusion
The Finest Hours is a remarkable story of remarkable courage against remarkable adversity. It is as much a human tale as it is a disaster film, exploring the themes of responsibility, love, sacrifice, and quiet heroism. While it may not do much for the genre in terms of innovation, the film delivers, with heartfelt brutal honesty.
The film does not glorify its central characters, which is a breath of fresh air. By doing so, the movie highlights a lesser-known part of American history in a way that feels far more real and genuine. It also gives a powerful reminder that the strongest sense of valor does not come from those branded as soldiers and superheroes, but from everyday people who take action when the moment demands it. By chronicling the stunning account of one of history’s greatest sea rescues, The Finest Hours ensures that Bernie Webber and his crew are forever celebrated for their unfathomable bravery.
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