La Jeune Fille et la Mer

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.

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.

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.

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 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.