"The Finest Hours" Is A Great True Story...But A Mediocre Movie

The Finest Hours (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Eric Bana, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz,

Directed by Craig Gillespie

The Story:

During a tremendous blizzard in 1952, a tanker rips in two and the Coast Guard sends just about everyone they have to try and save any survivors.

This is not that story.

You see, there was a second tanker that also ripped in half and had survivors on it. What was left of the Coast Guard was dispatched to try and find the remnants of that ship and bring in any survivors.

This is that story.

And it's true.

The biggest problem with this, the story and much of the acting and pacing is stiff, wooden and rather boring.

Which seems really weird when you have a thrilling rescue mission at sea that bogs down while trying to be told.

Weirder still that it was a product of Walt Disney studios who excel at these true life stories.

There's equal parts of blame to go around all over the place, even the leading man, Chris Pine, and quite possibly especially him, is not above finger pointing.

His character is probably supposed to be shy and humble, but it just comes across as stiff and unlikable.

Things do pick up considerably once the storm is raging and the rescue attempt begins, but the buildup to it with Pine and Grainger's romance...

Goodness that's some painfully dull cinema to endure.

Good intentions, a great real story that just gets muddied when it was turned into a film.

Final Grade: C

Time For A Little Baseball in January... "Million Dollar Arm"

Million Dollar Arm (2014)

PG

Starring Jon Hamm, Suraj Sharma, Madhur Mittal

Directed by Craig Gillespie

The Story:

JB (Hamm) is a sports agent who is being outspent and out hustled by the bigger agents in town. So he concocts a try-out for players of cricket in India to be the next big thing in Major League Baseball. When the tryout doesn't go as planned, JB isn't quite sure what to do.

That's when he decides to be a better person.

Awwww...

Did I mention this was based on a true story?

No, I didn't.

But it is.

And it's not a bad story...

But boy is it LOOOOOONG.

Clocking in at over 2 hours, it feels every bit of it, and a bit more even.

: /

Disney needs to learn how to shave a bit of the time off these true-life dramas and get to the point a bit quicker.

Naturally, you can guess how the story ends, so I won't say they make a professional team because that would be a major spoiler.

Oops again.

: )

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'll have to go with once was enough on this one. Not every baseball movie is a surefire hit.