NYAD (2023) – Inspiring true story with Oscar worthy performances from Annette and Jodie

This is the amazing and uplifting true story of marathon swimmer Diana Nyad who attempts to fulfil her lifelong ambition to swim across 110 miles from Cuba to Florida at the age of over 60!! Playing the role of Nyad is Annette Bening. I must say that Annette’s performance her really blew me over. This role is clearly outside her comfort zone, and I never really saw her as being very athletic much less so at the age of over 60. However, she is totally convincing here as Nyad as she embraces her character’s physical and idiosyncrasy perfectly. Matching her in a strong supporting role is Jodie Foster as her best friend and coach, Bonnie Stoll. Her chemistry with Annette here is really strong. Just watching these two excellent performances is rewarding enough. Combining this with a compelling and inspiring true story of determination and teamwork is like icing on the cake. This is not unlike the recent killer pairing of two excellent actresses Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman in May December. However, May December’s unconventional story and style failed to make that truly stand out. Released by Netflix at the end of the year probably plays well with the hope that the film gets the attention from the various movie awards. I believe that both Annette and Joie have a shot in getting recognition again for their work with this one.

The film makers Elizabeth Chai and Jimmy Chin did a great job here in providing a biopic that feels authentic and not feel formulaic. They have cleverly interwoven a compelling story that provides just the right amount of background information on Diana’s younger days when she was training, and enough details of the sort of perils and precautions needed in order to embark on such a seemingly insurmountable task. It also shows how determination can overcome failures as the saying goes “if first you don’t succeed try try again”. It also clearly shows how the drive from the adrenaline rush can provide the motivation to overcome odds.

I applaud Diana’s key messages for her feat which she so fervently shared: “One is we should never ever give up. Two is you are never too old to chase your dreams. And three is it looks like a solitary sport but it takes a team.” These are evergreen lessons which we can all benefit from and learn to observe in our own lives. NYAD has so much to share, and we should all be grateful for being able to have a glimpse into her life and triumph.