You might have better luck finding pirate gold at the bottom of the ocean than locating any new movies on Disney+ in August. Almost everything fresh that you can watch on Disney’s No. 1 streamer requires a Hulu subscription.
Fortunately, there’s a film that arrived on the streaming service in July that is the one Disney+ movie this August that you have to watch: Young Woman and the Sea. This sports biography was actually originally meant to premiere exclusively on Disney+ before it was given a very brief theatrical release this past May. Although its stay in theaters was short, Young Woman and the Sea fits right in at its new streaming home. And we’re sharing the reasons why this is the film you need to stream this month.
It’s an inspiring true story in the classic Disney mold
Before Disney’s live-action films were dominated by remakes of animated movies, the studio had a long history of taking true stories and turning them into inspiring movies. Young Woman and the Sea not only easily fits into that classic Disney mold but it does so very well. Director Joachim Rønning and screenwriter Jeff Nathanson adapted Glenn Stout’s book of the same name about Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle, who in the 1920s became the first woman to swim the English Channel.
Among the older Disney movies, this one is reminiscent of Iron Will, because the feat that Trudy is attempting is legitimately dangerous and she also has a lot to overcome. The rampant sexism of the era and even the pushback from her own family threaten to derail Trudy’s dreams. But it’s her resilient spirit that sees her through to the end.
It’s a showcase for Daisy Ridley
Nearly a decade ago, Daisy Ridley shot to stardom in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, before reprising her role as Rey in two subsequent sequels. Some of her movies since then, including the truly awful Chaos Walking, haven’t given Ridley the chance to shine in a role outside of the sci-fi genre.
Ridley rises to the occasion for Young Woman and the Sea with a spirited and compelling performance that serves as a reminder of why she had her big break in the first place. She carries this movie on her shoulders, both in the water and on land when Trudy has to fight for her own desires.
The supporting cast turns in good performances
We’re not trying to make too many water puns, but Disney didn’t hang Ridley out to dry on this movie. She’s surrounded by a very good supporting cast, including former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston, who plays Trudy’s trainer, Jabez Wolffe. The relationship between Trudy and Wolffe is incredibly strained and they genuinely don’t like each other. There’s also a strong implication that Wolffe is actually jealous of Trudy’s success and willing to sabotage her efforts because of that.
Kim Bodnia and Jeanette Hain are also excellent as Trudy’s parents, Henry and Gertrude Anna Ederle, as is Tilda Cobham-Hervey as Trudy’s sister, Meg. But aside from Ridley and Eccleston, the most fun performance in the movie belongs to Stephen Graham, who plays Trudy’s hero, Bill Burgess. Graham lights up the screen every time his character reenters the story, and Burgess winds up playing a large role in helping Trudy realize her ambitions.
The movie turns up the tension in the final act
Since even “true stories” are given some Hollywood embellishments, there are some liberties taken with history late in the movie about how and when Trudy makes a second attempt to swim the English Channel. And it’s during that attempt that Trudy has to face some very real dangers as she makes her way through the darkness.
Even though we know Trudy will ultimately find her way through, this does add some tension to the story so everything doesn’t fall into place too easily for her. After all, if Trudy didn’t have to overcome some adversity, Young Woman and the Sea wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining to watch as it is.
Watch Young Woman and the Sea on Disney+.
