(rated PG)
There’s an old saying in Hollywood, “happy endings sell,” yet “Titanic” was the one flick of last century to defy that. Now, this latest wet tale is the first of this century to change that theory in the “Perfect Storm”. And, does a “perfect” job! In the Fall of 1991, the Andrea Gail left Gloucester, Mass. and headed for the fishing grounds of the North Atlantic. Two weeks later, an event took place that had never occurred in recorded history. Re-teaming of “Three Kings” George Clooney with Mark Wahlberg, in this real life story based on the book by “Sebastian Junger”, about a group of underdog fisherman who go down in the storm. Clooney portrays Billy Tyne a veteran fisherman who has had a run of disappointing catches. Wahlberg is Bobby Shatford trying to pay off back-child support, desirous of a new life with girlfriend Christina (Diane Lane). They are joined by Dale (John C. Reilly) and Alfred (Allen Payne) each with their own reasoning behind why they must sail out. Aside from the incredible direction by Wolfgang Petersen, the tale works because of many elements, namely a back-story of their passion, that’s so well-developed we know these simple fisherman and their lives, long before they face the big catch that turns tragic. There’s no Hollywood hype here as the story accurately and respectfully recreates the painstaking loses of each family in a small fishing village, who put in a hard day’s work for some hard day’s pay. It’s chock full of fish hooks, sea tales, hoisting ice blocks, filling ship hydraulics, cleaning injectors, weather faxes, drinking to oblivion (at the Crow’s Nest Bar) and family values (not necessarily in that order). It’s like a Discovery channel education about a dying All-American occupation never explored. The wives’ pain of knowing the sickness of their men choosing the sea over them every time seems so empty, as these women pace second story harbor windows to the point of “wearing out floor boards” awaiting their man’s ship into harbor. If you’re looking for the summer’s one heart wrenching and compelling story, this will “reel” you in. And, we didn’t even get to the phenomenal special effects! Oh, and if that’s not enough, the “know they die” ending transcends you to a spiritually uplifting place in a well-delivered eulogy by Elizabeth Mastrantonio. By the way, did I mention I liked this movie? Move over “Titanic.”
