Now streaming on Netflix, NYAD is an inspirational quasi-documentary about the endurance swimmer Diana Nyad, who wowed the world with her stamina at the age of 28 when she swam around Manhattan Island in eight hours. The film re-introduces us to her when she is about to turn 60 and is dealing with a post-midlife crisis. Are all her best days behind her? She says no.
Annette Bening plays Diana, and without a stitch of modesty. No makeup, wrinkly skin, messy hair and all, she gives a fantastic and 100% believable performance as a woman desperately holding on to her youth, a bit off her rocker and doggedly determined to make the best of her latter years. With her every step, or rather stroke, of the way is her best friend who takes on the role of her swim coach, Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster). The movie is basically the two of them, with plenty of help from a team of kayakers and navigators, and their interaction is lots of fun to watch.
Besides the very compelling story of Diana attempting to swim from Cuba to Key West -- the one swim she failed at during her youthful heyday -- despite her advanced age, the underwater scenes of her several attempts are beautifully photographed and will make you so happy you spent the money for that big screen TV.
Flashbacks to Diana's childhood are interspersed with her grueling training sessions and painful swims, like the one where she gets attacked by poisonous jellyfish. It's all quite interesting and definitely not the same old rom-com or action hero claptrap. As for being inspirational, if there is any goal you may have given up on because of your age or physical condition, this movie will change your mind, fire you up and get you going.
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