Summary
Young Woman and the Seais a solid sports drama, and showcases one of the most undersung talents Jerry Bruckheimer has a producer. Based on the story of Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle, the film follows Trudy as she becomes the first woman to swim the deceptively trecherous 21 mile-long English Channel. Starring Daisy Ridley as Trudy with Christopher Eccleston, Stephen Graham, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Kim Bodnia, and Jeanette Hain asYoung Woman and the Sea’s real-life characters, the film is a solid little adaptation of an uplifting true story.
The film is just one of the several movies Jerry Bruckheimer has produced in the last year alone, actively competing against other Bruckheimer-produced movies likeBad Boys For Lifeat the box office. However, the critical appreciation thatYoung Woman and the Seahas garnered highlights how good Bruckheimer is at identifying and producing films of that caliber. The strong audience and critical reception toYoung Woman and the Seaand its uplifting endinghighlights some of Bruckheimer’s most uplifting films, and why he should focus more on those kinds of films going forward.
10 Biggest Details Young Woman & The Sea Leaves Out & Changes About Trudy Ederle’s True Story
Young Woman and the Sea is based on the true story of Trudy Ederle. We break down what the film changes or leaves out from the swimmer’s real story.
Young Woman And The Sea Is One Of Jerry Bruckheimer’s Best Recent Films
The Positive Reception ToYoung Woman And The SeaLed To Its Theatrical Release
Young Woman and the Seahighlights the kind of versatility Jerry Bruckheimer has developed as a film producer, and provesBruckheimer should be putting more of his focus on sports films. For decades, Bruckheimer has been one of the film industry’s most illustrious producers. In 2024 alone, he has produced four different films with four different studios:The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfarewith Lionsgate,Bad Boys: Ride or Diewith Sony,Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Fwith Paramount, andYoung Woman and the Seawith Disney.
Young Woman and the Seastands out, however. At the time of this writing, the film has earned a solid 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighting its critical strength. It’s also garnered a 98% audience score on the site. As reported byScreen Rant, Bruckheimer himself noted thatthe film is the highest-tested film in his lengthy career, underscoring how well it connects with audiences. This is what prompted Disney to release the film theatrically instead of sending it straight to the Disney+ streaming service. It shouldn’t come as a surprise though, given Bruckheimer’s past sports films.
Jerry Bruckheimer Only Has Three Sports Movies (But They’re All Great)
Each Of Bruckheimer’s Sports Films Share Some Core Creative DNA
Jerry Bruckheimer has produced dozens of films,but has only been involved with three sports movies. All of them are uplifting stories based on real events, and all of them were successful.Young Woman and the Seahas received critical accolades, making it one of the better reviewed films among Bruckheimer’s recent releases. 2006’sGlory Road— which starred Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, and Jon Voight and focused on the first all-black starting lineup in NCAA basketball — wasn’t as well-recieved but still performed well with audiences. The film was later nominated for the Humanitas Prize.
Bruckheimer’s earlier sports film, 2000’sRemember the Titans, was decried by some critics for its predictable nature and cheesy elements, but was still appraised for its performances and craft.The film ended up becoming a major financial hit for Disney, grossing over $136 million off of a $30 million budget. The film also earned a rare A+ audience score by CinemaScore, as reported byThe Wrap. Bruckheimer’s eye for sports stories have resulted in three solid releases for Disney, highlighting a keen eye for the kind of sports movies that connect with audiences.
Young Woman and the Sea’s True Story & Gertrude Ederle’s Real-Life Explained
Young Woman and the Sea covers the inspirational true story of Gertrude Ederle, but some aspects of her life were left out of the movie.
Why Jerry Bruckheimer Needs To Make More Sports Movies
Jerry Bruckheimer has produced all sorts of films, ranging from action movies and adventure epics to tight thrillers and family films. However, his success as a producer on sports films makes his relatively sparse sports catalog all the more surprising. While all three films are formulaic,they’re also well-executed and use true stories to create uplifiting movies. Bruckheimer’s career has allowed him to work with many of Hollywood’s best actors, meaning he attracts strong talent to the movies he works on. This is one of the best strengths to his sports films, as they boast impressive performances from their stars.
Jerry Bruckheimer should focus more on sports films. While he has plenty of action movies under his belt (including three in 2024 alone), his sports dramas have been solid entries to a genre that’s felt underserved in recent years. Even ifYoung Woman and the Sea’s limited theatrical release doesn’t break the bank, the strong audience score and critical reception suggests it’ll be a solid addition to Disney’s recent releases. In an era where critics bemoan the lack of mid-budget dramas,Young Woman and the Seahighlights how they still work, and why they should become a focus for the legendary producer.
Young Woman and the Sea
Cast
Daisy Ridley stars as the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement – a 21-mile trek from France to England.
