True Spirit (2023) User Reviews

Inspiring adventure, script and graphics struggle.

[Jaffaroll · 6/10 · 3 February 2023]

Years ago I read "Sailing Alone Around the World" by Joshua Slocum and I have been a solo Cape Horn groupie ever since. There were some great books including Naomi James engrossing "At One with the Sea." At the start the success rate of solo round the Horn was about 50%. It has improved with technology and weather data but is still a risky exciting enterprise. The sailors all seemed a little bit odd, I felt a kindred spirit. Cf "Voyage for Madmen", also filmed. So, I bussed down with my nearly 10 year old granddaughter to see "True Spirit" when it opened at Maroochydore.

At the time of her voyage, I had wondered if there was some pressure on the sailor for the trip, but the more I saw of her the more she seemed to be a determined independent young lady who had her own ideas. I have been steadily impressed with her. She is not seen chasing 'celebrity'. I was however a little apprehensive about the film, as there were no reviews, - this could be one of those over-earnest paeans that the Antipodes can do. The granddaughter is a hard critic. Well, she liked it and watched earnestly right through. It does have a bit of an old-fashioned feel to it. No slaughtering superheroes or flying hedgehogs. I am glad I took her to see it.

I thought it wasn't bad, with reservations. The storm scenes/CGI were a little unreal. (like in 'Perfect Storm' - graphically spectacular, but distracting) This detached me from the drama. And the general sailing was less absorbing than it might have been, though I know solo sailing isn't all excitement, it can be done. Apart from the 'over the top storms' the photography was good. The sea is a good act to watch.

The dialogue often tends to be formulaic and occasionally cloying. Shame; a lot is good. Teagan Croft is excellent as Jess, she seemed to be the character. Cliff Curtis was great as the mentor Ben Bryant. Anna Paquin good as ever and generally the actors were fine. Some things I vaguely remember from the time, such as the flyover by the parents (-must have been emotional.) and the wait before the Horn, were barely dealt with but excusable in the name of good editing. At 106 minutes it was about right. Actual footage of Jessica at the end was quite moving.

Sarah Spillane has avoided over adulation. There are some script failings but still very watchable reproduction of Jessica's exploits. The determination and achievement of the young sailor were recognised in the film and anchored it.

A lovely journey

[LetsReviewThat26 · 8/10 · 7 February 2023]

True spirit was one of those movies that made me feel something. It was not just another movie that you forget and it was well made. The movie is about the real life journey of a sixteen year old called jessica watson. She grew up reading a book that inspired her and so she wanted to travel around the world solo. Jessica is played in this movie by teagan croft. She plays the role and emotions well. I loved the set for the boat and the way that the movie was filmed invites you to be part of the action. Helping her is ben, a friend from childhood thats a professional himself and played here by cliff curtis. The cast of this movie were all pretty good and overall it was just a really nice movie that was translated well to film.

solid inspirational film

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 6 February 2023]

Jessica Watson (Teagan Croft) is a 16 year old Australian girl planning to sail solo around the globe. Her mentor Ben Bryant (Cliff Curtis) has a troubled past. Her supportive parents (Josh Lawson, Anna Paquin) raised her on the waters. Her dad does have concerns while they face disbelieve and questioning from the outside world.

This is a generally solid inspirational film. Teagan Croft is cute and energetic. Cliff Curtis is the solid veteran actor. Lawson is a character actor and it's funny that I probably know him best from Mortal Kombat. It's great to have Anna Paquin as the mom. She herself won the Oscar when she was twelve. It's all very nice and very safe. The safe part is a bit of a problem. I'm never concerned about her journey except for a small moment during the climatic storm. The movie needs to build more danger into the movie. It needs to start with Bryant's unfortunate sailing incident. It also needs to recount one or two sailors who died during their attempts. It needs to push the danger more. Instead, they leave it to the slimy news guy and the danger disippates. All in all, this is very inspirational and very standard.

Shocking Music

[davepoole-82655 · 6/10 · 7 February 2023]

The true story is remarkable, awe inspiring to think a 16 year old would want to sail solo around the globe let alone have enough about them to actually do it.

Unfortunately the film goes down the sickly route. Ridiculous cringe worthy moments that really didn't need to be added. The story didn't need it, but the Director couldn't help themselves. At its worst it was like a soap opera episode and the music Director shouldn't be allowed anywhere near music, shocking is too polite a word for that.

Also some of the extra characters were so cliche as to be almost rude. They literally put an African lady dancing when she was watching on video, only surprised the Scottish woman wasn't pissed.

Anyway after all that the acting by the lead characters was fine and the story itself is so amazing it was still enjoyable. Just could have been so much better if handled with a bit more sophistication.

I'm going to find the book and read that.

210 days of sailing to get a movie with bad music and worse CGI

[loganmstokes · 6/10 · 8 February 2023]

So your telling me the boat went 15 feet underwater and came back up magically... with 0 damage?

• it's a true story so that gives it a bonus star because It's crazy how someone can do that(and wants too). These types of stories are always intriguing, especially because I've never heard of Jessica Watson.

-ending was great! ...if you love adventure movies or just movies based on true stories you'll love this. As long as you no nothing about sailing and can overlook the obvious parts of reality that is overlooked.

• the only person to blame for the bad reviews is netlfix in general. They might need to stick to adding movies that are already popular instead of trying to make there own.

A Perky but Limited Telling of a Historic Journey

[FilmFanatic2023 · 7/10 · 6 February 2023]

A biographical movie about Jessica Watson, who became the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the world alone in 2009. The film, which stars Teagan Croft and is directed by Sarah Spillane, details Watson's journey and the support she received from her family and manager.

Despite criticism from the media and government officials, Watson persevered and completed her journey, overcoming multiple storms and windless stasis. The film showcases the beautiful sailing sequences and pays homage to Watson's determination, making her a symbol of the "can-do spirit."

However, the film has its flaws. The screenplay tends to disrupt the dramatic momentum, and the perky, clean-scrubbed tone makes the film feel like a Disney Channel movie. The film also oversimplifies the story, focusing solely on vindicating Watson and her family and coach, while ignoring the messiness of real life.

Overall, "True Spirit" is a suitable movie for younger audiences, but for those looking for a more nuanced and thorough account of Watson's journey, her memoir and the 2010 documentary "210 Days" are recommended.

Beautiful Movie and a Beautiful Story

[armalis · 10/10 · 23 February 2023]

I enjoyed every moment of this movie. In this world where edgier and darker movies and villains seen as heroes are flooding the media, I've been starving for a good, bright, inspirational story. I cannot believe that this sixteen year old girl completed the trip by herself on a sailboat. I thought her story was beautifully told and the visuals were stunning. Loved this film. A true breath of fresh air.

I enjoyed the cinematography, casting was great, I loved how they incorporated the music, the color saturation in the scene with calm waters that creates the feeling of pressure and nerves amidst the beauty of the surroundings, the starry sky scene, the CG waves,... Finally the way they showed the real Jessica Watson at the very end.

Loved it!

Inspirational Stuff

[rtqfkc · 7/10 · 8 February 2023]

I tried to get my kids to watch this, hoping the inspirational story line would give them ideas beyond sitting and playing games on the iPad. But I failed so I watched this myself. It follows the true story of 16 year old Jessica Watson attempting to fulfil a (let's face it) very short, life long dream of being the youngest person to sail solo around the world.

The film delivers, albeit in a bit of a lightweight way. The danger elements were few but done well. The sea does look scary at points, but I wanted a little more edge of the seat stuff. But this is aimed at the 10-16 crowd, so perfect in that respect.

The film is almost 2 hours long, but it takes a long time for the world journey to actually start and the pacing of the film from that point is a bit too quick. Half way round The world in the blink of an eye. It is a true story and I can't believe it was all plain sailing (excuse the pun) for that half of the journey. It would have been nice to have a few more elements of danger and drama.

It's always great to see Anna Paquin, but young Teagan Croft was excellent as the young protagonist sailor. I originally thought she was a bit too wide eyed and perfect teeth for the role, but at the end of the film you do see footage of the real Jessica Watson on the original boat and they are actually very similar in looks, so good casting in that respect.

If you can get your kids to watch this, I would highly recommend!

Wow! Inspiring film from down under!

[TheDome81 · 9/10 · 3 February 2023]

Just finished watching this excellent movie. It's based on a true story, so there won't be any spoilers here. It's the story of Jessica Watsonl who's always dreamed of sailing around the world by herself. She's on a quest to be the younger person to do so.

As you'd expect, she certainly has her share of obstacles. But she shows the true grit needed to complete such an adventure. The film goes from her at sea, to flashbacks of her growing up and all the things that led to this amazing adventure.

I thought the acting was absolutely spot on. The photography and special effects were tremendous as well. And it's full of breathtaking action scenes that make you feel you're on board with her. There's one absolutely gorgeous scene when she's caught in a dead-air zone. She stares at the night sky just full of stars with the David Bowie's "Star Man" quietly playing. It's quite haunting.

If you're looking for a great film the whole family will enjoy, don't miss this one! But be sure to have some tissues handy. There are a couple of emotional scenes where even this jaded film reviewer puddled up a bit.

Inspiring story - bad production quality

[srgymrat33 · 6/10 · 14 December 2023]

This is worth the watch for sure - I was into it and cried several times and ended the movie wanting to do something cool , get out of my comfort zone and be better .

Production wise it just was very poor . The acting was subpar at best , the cinematography was extremely tacky looking and the writing and character development was mediocre .

There were some cute and touching moments , the family dynamic shown throughout and the story itself is worth it .

I did not like the interpretation of Ben Bryant ( not a real person )- in the sense that he got angry and left a 16 year old kid without a coach / leader in the middle of her journey ? That seemed ridiculous. The reporter was also a little silly .

Worth the watch with your family once - then call it good .

Jessica makes you proud to be an Aussie

[elisa-grant · 9/10 · 11 February 2023]

This film, while somewhat lightweight and breezy, recounts the main things one needs to know about Jessica's incredible story.

Well acted, and spliced beautifully with real footage, this is a tale that will make you feel both inspired and awe struck.

As a fellow Aussie I followed her voyage with excitement at the time and remember vividly her return into Sydney harbour

Watching this film with my 10yr old daughter, and seeing how inspired and amazed she was, reminds me of the hope and excitement for life Jessica inspired in us all back then.

Watch this and know that this young lady (at the time) really was as incredible as the movie makes her out to be.

Amusing film on Jessica's real journey

[mamunmaziz · 7/10 · 6 February 2023]

The movie was very amusing to me. It is a fantastic representation of Jessica Watson's actual journey.

Jessica Watson is an Australian National Hero. He performed a circumnavigation in 2009 when he was only 16 years old. To do this, he started off all by himself in a small boat from Sydney, Australia to travel the entire circumference of the globe without stopping, and he did so in 210 days, returning to the same location in Sydney.

He described his incredible adventure in his own book 'True Spirit', the movie #truespirit released on Netflix based on the adaptation of that book. The creative depiction of Jessica Watson's extraordinary journey by Australian actress Teagan Croft has brilliantly brought the entire narrative together.

The movie lacks true spirit

[Boristhemoggy · 5/10 · 8 February 2023]

I watched this as I am a sailor and I was curious to see where her story fit in with Abby Sunderland, who tried the same feat at teh same age but failed after a storm in the southern ocean.

As some have said I also think the film was made in a Disney style to highlight the spirit of exploration, adventure and courage. It does it splendidly and is a joy to watch for that reason.

As a record of Watson's achievement though I think it falls short. The things she went through including being becalmed for a full week would have been horrifying. And the storm scenes almost romanticise storms rather than showing the real turmoil that Watson went through.

It showed nothing of the struggle she would have faced sailing the boat although does touch on her loneliness. I think as a record of her adventure it was below par.

I haven't read her memoir but I believe I will now to get the first hand real account, not the sanitised version from a director.

A very emotionally adventure story

[Luigi Di Pilla · 7/10 · 26 February 2023]

This movie is based on true events and delivered touching moments in a great wave hell ride.

The young women was pushed by high courage and self confidence to realize her dream that became a global event.

There were dramatically moments and scenes with low budget special effects. The actors played believably the roles and I think the result is amazing cause it took sometimes my breath away. Congratulations to all the staff. 7 out 10.

If you like this genre of movies then I highly recommend the other deep sea films Captain Philipps with Tom Hanks, All is Lost with Robert Redford or The Perfect Storm with George Clooney.

A great story but...

[dansocean-349-194279 · 7/10 · 8 February 2023]

Jessica despite all the short comings did complete her circumnavigation. That no one can take away.

However this movie does fall short. I hope folks are not watching this and thinking about sailing. Almost everything is wrong here. Thankfully she did make it. But wow luck was on her side for sure. I for one don't hold judgement to her parents. After all it is her life. Watch this movie, then do some research on Jessica. She does have a great story to tell. She has several interviews and a book. I would advise anyone looking to sail on the high seas to know that you can't fight back against the ocean, she will always win.

Finding your dream and living through it is hard.

[chand-suhas · 6/10 · 9 April 2023]

Jessica Watson, the youngest person to circumnavigate the world on her Pink Lady, at that time. The film focuses on her 210 days of sailing, amidst all the challenges the mother nature has to throw at her, battling her own dyslexia and loneliness while her family stands by her throughout. It is a story of true spirit and ofcourse madness, decision to go through the storm is something even her coach would consider madness. But it is also a story that is worth telling.

The icing on the cake is the actual footage of Jessica and her journey shown in the end. The actors truly performed really well to do justice to this amazing story. There wasn't any dull moment and credit must go to the director for keeping the proceedings as real as possible. The family bonding and even with her coach, kept the story gripping along with the chilling storms. In the end, it ticks all the right boxes to be a worthy watch.

Inspiring true story

[sanyamrkalmani · 10/10 · 4 February 2023]

Fantastic film Something that inspires me to live a life that we thought we would but not many of them live it inspires me that not everyone will look at your dream as it is and maybe that is why we are here in the world to make a dent in the universe as Steve Jobs said we are here to show the world that there is something out there that is beyond the capabilities of a human mind but some of them are lucky enough to find a way to bring that sunshine home and show the world it can be achieved. It inspires us that if a 16-year-old can see a goal and go into the ocean alone while remaining optimistic, then we are fortunate enough to have a support system for ourselves while still on the ground in the mud.

Surprinsingly wonderful

[TheMustardNerd · 9/10 · 9 February 2023]

A tenacious Australian teen chases her dreams - and faces her fears - as she sets out to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world.

I saw this movie on Top 10 Netflix movies and i decided to give it a try. But it didn't hook me immediately

Initially i thought it was gonna be some cheesy feel good girl movie. And it was, but it was one of the best ones in recent years

The story needs some time to find it's footing but it's worth it. A bold, serious, gut wreching movie with great visuals and an emotion roller coaster. If you have older kids this is one of the best choices. Educational but also emotional and inspiring.

The movie we all need right now

[egbloemendaal · 10/10 · 4 February 2023]

A true inspiring story brought to life, with the perfect cast. I couldn't fault the script or acting, I truely felt like I was on the journey sailing around the world. I have no intentions to follow the path of the main character, but never less, this movie will inspire you to go chase all those dreams you have been holding back on. Along with beautiful imagery depicting each challenge and triumph Jessica Watson faced. Make sure a tissue box is in reach and be ready to chase your dreams post viewing. This story will resolute with anyone and I could watch it again and again. Well done crew and we'll done Jessica!

Nice story, good book, poor movie

[ricardopinelli07 · 5/10 · 8 February 2023]

The adventure is amazing, the book is a 7/10 (read it last year) and the movie is very disappointing.

As said, the main actress was more concerned with looking pretty and smiling, the music was awful, the soap opera vibe was everywhere, there was almost no real tension with all the situation...

Some parts are not in the book, were created to romanticize some scenes.

The best part of the movie is the ending with some real scenes of Jess arriving home.

Overall, I feel that the adventure itself was not explored as it should be. The loneliness, the sailing, the danger, her routine...

It was more like a teenager "you can do what you want" movie than an adventure movie.

A movie that will make you cry at some point, yet as uplifting as it gets

[godsnames · 9/10 · 7 February 2023]

Fantastic. A story written by real life can never be any better. The achievement depicted in this movie is almost unworldly.

Also, the execution of the story is top-notch in basically every sense. The two leads are on top of their game putting in amazing performances, but that can be said for the rest of the cast. The production value is superb as so the camerawork, the editing, and the score, although I sorely missed the original song of 'Starman' from David Bowie when it really mattered. (Obviously, the song plays a small but vital part in the movie as the ship of her advisor name is Bowie. It is also a song her mother used to sing her when she was a child.) Apart from that, it is a beautiful, elevating movie that will linger in your mind for sometime to come.

In one word: excellent.

If you are down, watch this one. It may give you some energy to get back up.

Must watch

[freespiritricha · 10/10 · 9 February 2023]

It is one of the best movies , I have ever watched. I cried so many times. The direction was so good , how the storms were depicted was amazing. Also the family , their feelings , the coach's feeling and also the difficulty of being isolated , all were so authentic. All the actors were amazing. It is one of the most inspirational movies, and must watch for students and athletes. The music was also very great. At the end ,the song with the credintials was so nice. Last but not the least, just at 16 years of age Jessica Watson did something which was tremendously courageous. She is an inspiration for everyone and is a real hero.

No matter what, sailors will return to the sea. This movie shows why.

[argoniodine · 10/10 · 6 February 2023]

Watching this movie in the cold winter nights made me think about the ocean and all that goes on out there. I'll definitely agree that it doesn't have the best CGI and there's some lacking dialogue, but man does this film do well in capturing the feeling of a deep love for and relationship with the sea.

Every single time I or a love one goes out onto the ocean we know there's a chance they won't come back, no matter how skilled or experienced or equipped. Nature happens. And still we keep going out there because there's no possible way we won't. This is a movie about humanity and the sea. Jessica Watson's achievements are unique and amazing, but there's so many who can relate to her experiences and I am extraordinarily pleased by knowing that others will be able to catch a glimpse of what it's like to be out there.

Reality stretched to a disappointing degree

[anonyapfelmous · 3/10 · 5 February 2023]

As a sailor, I was excited for this movie but it disappointed me. I do not get why the writers decided to take away one of the major parts of the experience: Having almost no connection to other humans at all. In the movie Jessica uses her phone all the time- and has enough internet connectivity to even stream video in one of the most remote oceans of the world. In 2009 - where even today you wait minutes to get simple weather data.

I laughed at the scene where she was taking her mainsail down with bare hands like it was nothing in a huge storm, which magically tightens itself up while she gets washed overboard. For sailors, this movie has a lot of these moments to be amused about.

Fascinating Story.

[destiny_west · 8/10 · 13 February 2023]

I get that the budget for this film was obviously not huge and you can clearly see that in the CGI and in some of the acting. But I feel that the story is so strong and interesting that it overrides all those factors and makes it a film worth watching.

I was fascinated from beginning to end.

Teagan Croft as Jessica Watson was no doubt the best performer in the whole film. She even out shone Anna Paquin who was very flat in this film. She felt very out of place and didn't seem to give it any ounce of energy.

If you can focus on the story and put everything else aside, this is a very enjoyable film.