Young Woman and the Sea

Disney’s 'Young Woman and the Sea' is a must-watch heartwarming tale of grit and triumph.

Disney’s “Young Woman and the Sea” is a nostalgic, heartwarming film that chronicles the incredible true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel.

I’m ashamed to say I’d never heard of Trudy Ederle prior to the film and her amazing accomplishments. From a childhood filled with sickness that for most people would have reserved them to a life more ordinary, Trudy’s grit helped her become a 29-time swimming record holder (both U.S. and World) as well as a gold and bronze medal winner in the 1924 Olympics.

Basically, Trudy Ederle was a badass.

As a young girl, Trudy was stricken with the measles. She valiantly fought through it against all odds and survived. She would use this same determination and grit to pursue her dreams of swimming.

Societal norms at the time restricted women from having the same access to certain activities as their male counterparts, such as swimming clubs. With a mother who fought for her daughters' dreams, Trudy finally began her swimming career at age 12 when she joined the Women's Swimming Association and learned the American Crawl. She broke her first record later that year

In “Young Woman and the Sea,” Daisey Ridley plays Trudy and brilliantly captures her spirit. I’ll be the first to admit that the movie takes a few liberties here and there with Trudy’s already amazing story, but the film is so wonderful that you can easily overlook it.

In Disney’s version of Trudy’s story, she must go against everything to achieve her dream of becoming a swimmer. His father resists; the swim organizations won’t allow it, and due to her prior medical issues, some won’t even let her in the pool for fear of losing her hearing. Despite all this, she rises through the ranks quickly to become one of the best-known swimmers in the United States.

When her efforts at the Olympic Games don’t go as planned, she’s relegated back to her life in her neighborhood, working for her father in his butcher shop. But when she sees a newsreel about the perils of swimming the English Channel, Trudy’s new focus is to become the first woman to make the 21-mile trek from France to England.

After her first attempt was unsuccessful due to poor coaching, Trudy was taken under the tutelage of the larger-than-life Bill Burgess (Stephen Graham), the second man to complete the channel swim in 1911. The duo set out to tackle the channel once more.

Relying on her beloved American Crawl, Trudy sets her sights on the English shore. She embarks on her journey, enduring challenges, including frigid temps, jellyfish, and becoming momentarily lost. But in the end, Trudy would set a new record for the canal swim by almost two hours – a record that would stand for 24 years. She returned to New York to a hero’s welcome and the first and largest ticker-tape parade for a woman in the history of New York City.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. While it might not be the most historically accurate, its feel-good vibe is wonderful. Despite knowing the outcome, there are moments that make you worry for Trudy’s safety, a testament to Ridley’s performance and Oscar Faura’s beautiful cinematography.

I’ve been a big fan of Ridley’s and don’t think she gets the credit she deserves. In “Young Woman and the Sea,” she gets to shine despite an iffy American accent at times. She effortlessly captures Trudy’s determination and power, and I thought her performance was beautiful.

Graham was my other favorite character in the film. I love him in just about anything he does, and here, he’s over-the-top, bigger than life, and gentle at the same time. It’s an excellent performance some might overlook.

Disney's 'Young Woman and the Sea' is an inspiring and heartwarming film that brings Trudy Ederle's extraordinary journey to life. Daisy Ridley delivers a captivating performance, making it a must-watch for anyone who loves tales of determination and triumph against all odds.