User reviews

Paul Thompson (Joseph Fiennes) is haunted by the lost of his pregnant wife Amy. He talks his bartender best friend Jeff Kane (Justin Kirk) to help him swim the length of the Hudson River. Acquaintance Liz Clark (Elizabeth Reaser) is intrigued and joins the merry band. Later, Paul reminds Jeff that his planned end date is the fifth anniversary of Amy's death. He tells his fellow travelers that he plans to kill himself at the end of their trip.

I really love this trio. They have fun chemistry. They have also great depths. They have great interactions. I almost don't want them to have that detour with Michelle Trachtenberg and Mary Tyler Moore. The stars' presence took me out of the trio's journey. Instead, I would keep them interacting with non-stars. The best joke is the guy passing by in the truck yelling f*ggot at them. Each one of the three contributes something great to the group.

i watched this movie start to finish - as i do with 99.9% of all movies i choose to see. this movie has a lot going for it and a lot going to ruin it.

the characters - paul, katie, and jeff come across as spoiled trust fund kids that have nothing to do but "deal with their emotions"! paul is totally unbelievable as the grief stricken widower (or whatever he is). paul is just shallow and myopic and completely unconvincing from start to finish. katie adds nothing to the story. and jeff comes across as the only level headed character but drops that element mid story. pathetic! but the cinematography along the hudson river is beautiful and spellbinding. if the 'actors' could be deleted this movie it would be a 10 star flick.

if you want to see some beautiful scenes of the hudson river valley this is a great choice. and the soundtrack is wonderful. but all spoiled by a pointless story and bad acting and numb dialog.

Overall a good movies. The story slowly built as we learned more and more about each of the characters. The movie was a bit boring at some points as what felt like half the movie. This was probably because of the numerous montages of boats and swimming on the Hudson river. While this was beautiful and the music was generally good it made me loose interest during those sequences. But I found the story to be moving and the acting was well done. I particularly like Justin Kirk. He brought a lot of much needed humor to the film that dealt with some really heavy stuff. Over all a good watch if you want a quiet reflective movie. I would recommend it to pretty much anyone.

This under-the-radar film about a guy who swims a good length of the Hudson River in NY State down to NYC, is one of those warm indie films that deftly balances drama with some humor. No surprise that it snagged actors like Joseph Fiennes, Elizabeth Reaser (adding another fine performance to her growing career since her debut in the great "SWEET LAND"), Justin Kirk, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Mary Tyler Moore in a notable supporting role.

The reason behind his swim I won't divulge here, but it makes for some powerful moments. As he swims, his 2 friends go along with him in a guide boat, and they come to shore for breaks, which leads to some great moments in the film. It's not all on the water. But when it is, it's riveting. As a viewer, I felt like I was swimming right there with him at times.

And the swimming scenes show off the wonderful Hudson Valley, and Joseph Fiennes looks like he really...um...took the plunge. That's really him in the water. Kudos to the filmmakers who must've been on the river an awful lot. (And to the camera people!) Hopefully this film finds its audience in other film festivals and in a future release.

I had the chance to see this at AFI festival in Dallas. The movie is beautifully shot, and some of the scenes along the Hudson are gorgeous. The story line is intriguing, and unfolds as the swimmer makes his way through the challenge of swimming the Hudson. As the first reviewer said, he has a tragic story that compels him to take on this feat. I won't divulge the details, but as his story comes out, it makes you think hard about some of life's issues. Definitely worth seeing.

The dialog is also well-written. Although this is not a comedy, the dialog is often quite funny. Fiennes may have gorgeous eyes, but I thought Justin Kirk's character really stood out in the film.

Awful, stupid... Don't waste your time. The ending is terrible and the whole movie lacked purpose.

This movie took my breath away. I LOVE Justin Kirk, that guy is amazing and he did not disappoint. I won't give away any spoilers but the story completely pulls you in and you can't wait to see what happens next.

I don't know that I loved the sideline with Mary Tyler Moore. I can see its value but I just wanted to see more of the three core characters. I also think they could've done more with the storyline with Justin Kirk's character and the difficulty with his wife.

This film is gorgeous to watch but will also stay with once the end credits are done rolling. Best to see it with someone so that you can discuss it afterwards!

I wanted to like this movie. It had all the elements of a small film I enjoy, simple storyline, moody atmosphere, music, but I found it to be so completely implausible I was dumbfounded as to how it got made or even thought of that it might make money or break even. The script was absolutely ridiculous, in my opinion. I was hoping the ending was going to surprise me somehow but not only did that not happen, it dug itself an even deeper hole of stupidity. This is all too bad for I like all the actors. A lot of reviewers here like it, and some really like it. They are definitely seeing something I could not grasp. I won't be seeing this movie ever again much less ever talking about it. The two stars by the way is for the effort. It is hard to get movies made and they did it. I just wish it had a better story.

Shame they got 3 mil to get this film made. No wonder this is the director's first film. I have no idea what the other reviewers are on! "Warm" "Authentic"? So many other films 5 times as good could have been made for that kind of money. Totally boring "woo-hoo, watch me I'm witty, indie, and I have actor friends in high places"! I couldn't watch this at all. Full of lengthy pretentious "so-called-smart/witty/ funny" dialog interspersed with the prerequisite Sundance indie feel piano track and indie alt-rock band interludes while I'm watching Joe Fiennes swim in the water. Exhilarating entertainment! NOT! Turned it off half-way through screaming in pain!

Very moving. Everything about this movie worked for me. Top-notch acting. Great dialogue. Fantastic cinematography. I don't get all the wannabe critics, ready to call out directors, using terms like "heavy handed," "pretentious," etc. This was a compelling story, and any departures from the main story were there to add humanity. Everyone involved should be very proud. They made a movie that was different, and worth our time. (mine, anyway) The ending left no doubt in my mind what happened. I didn't find any ambiguity whatsoever. I felt it was moving, and insightful. I think people need to open up to those films that are a little different. This is one such film.

I love quiet, thoughtful movies. This is a quiet thoughtful movies and I couldn't connect with to it. Dark, slow, repugnant characters, flat, static acting, annoying music, there is nothing to like about this movie. I even snoozed through some of it.

Mary Tyler Moore is usually a shining light but even her ugly character is nothing but morose and deadpan.

Maybe it is the topic of the movie. Depression and lost love can be a dark hole to go down with nowhere to escape.

That is how this movie felt to me.

I only had a twinge of sadness in the last couple of minutes to think of the hopelessness of it all and the lost time watching this movie.

This movie has a character who's very relatable, a character who wants to accomplish something great in his life, something he can say he actually "did." This is something many people wish they had the courage to do- to actually "do" something rather than just talking about doing it. It was inspiring to see it in this film. The cinematography is stunning and beautiful. That in of itself is a reason to watch this movie. Everything from the sound of lapping water to large cargo ships passing by all present a fluid and calming picture. I wont go into the storyline here, but suffice it to say it is satisfying and flows smoothly. The movie has bits of dark humor and funny moments, all of which elicited laughs. It's certainly not a comedy however, but these moments provide needed comic relief. Each of the starring actors gave phenomenal performances. Joseph Fiennes is remarkable as the haunted Paul Thompson, and Justin Kirk provides lighthearted relief as his friend, Jeff. Elizabeth Reaser complements the ensemble with more fantastic acting. Overall a great piece, with a strong story and strong cinematography

The movie recently was running on Showtime and got TiVo'd last night. Watched because I like both Justin Kirk and Joseph Fiennes. So I watched this lazy Saturday early morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. Just what a quiet morning needs. The scenery along the Hudson Valley is spectacular and I felt I was rolling along in the boat. I think Justin Kirk was just right (as usual) with his character, no over the top stuff. Mary Tyler Moore was a hoot and hopefully we can see more of her. The subject matter is a bit disconcerting but it kept me intrigued. Not only was the story and scenery compelling, the music captured my attention also. The movie was well done...., Just watch while you can let yourself be carried along slowly. I gave it a rating of "9" since it i liked watching it and when it was done, stayed with me emotionally. Does cause one to consider uncomfortable situations....morally and ethically. Enjoy.

This is probably one of the most insightful films I've watched ever.It acknowledges that emotional pain can sometimes be more debilitating than physical pain. I hope people who watch are able to grasp the honesty and the realness of the characters. Although Mary Tyler Moore's character was a little over the top. The acting was sublime and the music was beautiful. This may not be a film for the incurable optimist but then again depending on how you interpret it, it may be. One of it's most beautiful features is its portrayal of friendship, real friendship. The writer, actors and directors displayed enormous empathy for a difficult topic. This is a not a film for the feint hearted or anyone incapable of deep reflection.

What a great movie. Look for it. Look for the symbolism. Mary Tyler Moore has a brief but significant role. Her comment when she sees the two coming out of the bedroom is priceless. Evaluate the human condition sadness can bring. Who wouldn't consider ending it all if facing the loss of your family. So many actually face this in real life. I hope to see these relatively unknown actors again.

The intrigue is great. The acting impeccable. What does life hold for any of us. Great entertainment. The intimate scenes are in good taste. The ending meaningful. It's a meaningful statement about society today.

See this movie. See it with your family.

I love everything about this film. Dempsey's Pub is a special place - sadly closed down. The Hudson River and valley are special as well. The movie portrays them all understatedly and beautifully along with sorrow, loss, grieving, the sad truth of getting less mature the older you get, juvenile friendship, fun low key adventure and tons of great scenery. It was hard to find for a while but is currently on Showtime Anywhere.

I'd say other have covered the ground in reviewing this movie quite nicely, so I'm not going to reaffirm the quiet and rather dark magic you can expect to find here

But I do have one complaint that doesn't reflect on any aspect of the movie aside from some rather inaccurate editing. Let me say I've lived in Poughkeepsie and its environs most all my life. (Poughkeepsie, NY is located 75 north of NYC and 75 south of the Troy Dam where this swim begins.) So, here's the problem: The Hudson IS beautiful, no doubt and it does have tides, but it heads north to south; therefore you're not in Troy in one scene and Hyde Park at 80 miles south the next; you're not in Yonkers about 25 miles north of NYC in one scene and next at the Rondout Light at Kingston about 95 miles north of NYC. (There were many, many such examples throughout the film, and these are not necessarily as the movie might have ordered them.)

So, why do that when all the showing the River in its natural ordering would have no affect on the story line and show off this River as it truly is and most likely most, if not all, reflect the actual filming order. Why? Sorry, just found it annoying having spent 8 years as a limnologist researching the River from Troy to the G. Washington Bridge at NYC.