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Nyad

After reading favorable reviews of this film I was anxious to see it but unfortunately I could barely make it to the end. Despite some amazing acting by both Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, I found the character of Diana Nyad to be extremely narcissistic, often rude in her responses to others, and just plain annoying. The film documents the five times she attempted to swim the distance between Florida and Cuba, but by the fifth try I had become so bored with both her and the film that at that point I really didn't care if she ended up succeeding or not. I think the film's messages of never giving up and not letting age hold you back are very admirable ones, but I personally feel that any athlete who puts their body through as much extreme torture and pain as Nyad repeatedly did in order to complete her goal would benefit from getting into psychotherapy. I was also curious about why the scene between John Bartlett and Jodie Foster's character was added in which he informs her he doesn't have much time left to live because "he's sick?" In real life John Bartlett unexpectedly died in his sleep at the age of 66, and he had no known diseases at the time.

This incredibly film is definitely very much deserving of all the praise it has gotten, and one I could very well see win an Oscar, for sure. The actors, all of them very established and great names, all do an incredible job, truly career defining, which is no faint praise in this case. All of this accompined by a great script, very emotional, and capturing the biographical story wonderfully. The cinematography, cutting and editing is great, very beautifully put together overall. All around a stellar feature, and my only regret is that I was unable to watch it in theaters. Very much recommended for any lover of film!

There is a clear line between determination and self absorbed compulsion. "Nyad" is a tediously long, repetitive tale that wants to portray itself as a feel good morality play, where the heroine overcomes all through iron willed determination. What we get is an overly wrought expose of a narcissist who is consumed by a compulsion; this is a story deserving perhaps of a "60 Minutes" segment, but that in no way merits a 2-hour movie. Benning puts a lot of herself -- especially physically -- into this project, and Foster's performance as the long suffering best friend is perhaps the bright spot. But if you watch "Nyad" don't be surprised if you come away uninspired, and are rather regretful that you could have spent those two hours doing something actually meaningful.

Jodie Foster and Annette Benning are so good as best friends. Their bond is beleivable from the first scene. I was a little surprised at how much time the film devoted to just swimming, swimming, swimming. But, it gives you a real sense of what Diana Nyad actually went through. Also, it's fascinating to see all the different ways they tweek the technique and process throughout the swims. The scenes of the real Diana interspersed throughout also reminds you that this is a real person, which seems almost impossible. Super entertaining and inspiring, but somehow not in a cheesy typical Hollywood way. Also, Jodie Foster made me feel everything along with her. She is an amazing actress and this is one of her best roles. I hope she gets at least an Oscar nom.

I didn't think I'd like a movie where a woman swims from start to finish. And yet... and the two are phenomenal, not for nothing do they have Oscar nominations (Bening) and awards (Foster) to their credit. The film is about overcoming your limits, about not letting your prejudices get you down and following your dream, not least it's about friendship and the power of a personality to instil her enthusiasm in others, it's about leadership and teamwork. It's much more than any motivation book or life coach training. I recommend it for anyone who takes society's norms for granted and justifies their whole comfortable life and no longer dares to pursue their dreams.