The way I see it, Shailene Woodley is one of the few actresses out there who has the charm and charisma to make most YA films either really enjoyable, like in “The Fault in Our Stars,” or at least tolerable, such as in the “Divergent” series. And for the most part, that’s been what she’s been most associated with. But she has now begun to try something different and go out of her way to test the limits of her acting abilities, and “Adrift” is a pleasant start to her potentiality as a Hollywood star.
Based on the perilous true story from 1983, sailing lovers Tami (Shailene Woodley) and Richard (Sam Claflin) are having the time of their lives on the coast of Southeast Asia when they decide to travel across the Pacific Ocean to California. But after encountering a massive hurricane, their boat is decimated and Richard becomes gravely wounded. Tami must now find a way to get them to land or they will suffer out at sea.
Director Baltasar Kormákur makes sure to let the audience know that this is primarily a survival-thriller first and foremost and embeds the romance in between the story beats. That’s where the film truly shines. I always enjoyed watching Woodley utilizing her intuition and tenacity to scavenge whatever she can on the boat. It boasts for a really enjoyable experience of survival and searching for loot and items in order to survive. There’s a certain satisfaction that comes with those moments.
Those moments of survival are further enhanced thanks to the gorgeous cinematography. Director of Photography Robert Richardson has previously collaborated with a variety of notable directors including Quentin Tarantino, Oliver Stone, and Martin Scorsese, and it definitely shows. Richardson brings out the epic scope and vast reaches of the ocean and establishes how much of a desolate, unspoken landscape it is. But he also fuses in a few very pretty shots that also help establish the profound beauty in the vastness of the ocean.
The stakes in the goal of survival are even further enhanced by the tender chemistry between Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin as well as the strong lead performance of Shailene Woodley, who gets a chance to display her true acting capabilities by evoking power and determination as well as humbleness and empathy. Sam Claflin also fills his role rather nicely, but the story clearly centers around Woodley.
But these, at times, don’t really do the story itself justice. Kormákur utilizes non-linear storytelling by switching back-and-forth between before and during the wreckage, with the “before” events relaying the development of the relationship between Woodley and Claflin. While their chemistry is evident, the pacing greatly hinders the emotion, dragging out the beginning for a few minutes too long. Even towards the end, you start to feel the length of the film and realize that it could’ve been 15-20 minutes shorter. Much of the dialogue also feels out-of-place in some situations. Many of them are either very blunt, incredibly cheesy, or strangely questionable, some more than others. While the actors do an exceptional job with what they had, it’s still noticeable.
Because of the pacing and some of the writing, I never felt as though it went all the way to deliver the emotional depth that one would hope. While it certainly provides some real stakes, there are moments that kind of fell flat and didn’t give me that sense of amusement or shock that I was hoping for. But I do feel as though one shouldn’t assume that in spite of it all the ending wasn’t satisfying, because it definitely was.
Overall, “Adrift” is a solid first step into Shailene Woodley’s official rise to stardom as a Hollywood actress. The cinematography and strong acting make for some hefty moments of stakes and tension, even though there are also lackluster moments and questionable writing. But still, in the end, Shailene Woodley alone is the reason you should experience the film, and will certainly be someone to look out for in future films.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If2lCD0SQrE&t=1s&w=585