User reviews

In a day and age where most movies are steeped in cynicism, there's something oddly refreshing about Nyad. Yes, parts may be clunky, it may take a while to get going, and it doesn't reinvent the biopic formula, but it's still an ultimately successful crowdpleaser.

In terms of its inspirational story, Nyad follows a pretty straightforward plot of the titular characters attempts to swim from Cuba to Florida. This underdog/triumph of the human spirit storyline is by no means new, but it's handled here with honesty and care. The start of things is rough-the first actual shot of Bening as Nyad is almost unintentionally funny, and it's pretty obvious that the actors are not totally comfortable with their characters early on. But, much like Nyad herself, the movie gets better over time as the technical quality improves and the actors are able to flex their skills, and by the end you're cheering right alongside the crowds for her success.

Diana Nyad, as a figure, is quite complicated. There's no doubt that she's has some incredible achievements, but she's also been reported as self-centered, dishonest, and in general rather controversial. Walking in to Nyad, I feared that the filmmakers would opt to completely gloss over this to be more simple (and palatable to Oscar voters), but thankfully this is not the case. The movie chugs along with its traditional empowerment story, but along the way there's tension between Nyad and her companions as her arrogance threatens to derail the swim. A lesson about "the power of teamwork" may seem cliche, and to an extent, it is. But the movie's exploration of the way perceptions change based on your own humility adds an interesting texture to the proceedings that not all filmmakers would seek to include.

One of the most talked-about things regarding this movie is the acting, and for the most part, it delivers. Annette Bening as Nyad is thoroughly convincing and able to sell this rather idealistic yet egocentric woman without being totally unlikable, and the physical strength it must have taken to perform the swimming is impressive. It takes a while for her to fully warm up to the role, but once she does it's a strong turn. Bening had a job and she delivered.

But the star of the show here is Jodie Foster. She imbues her character with so much personality and life force that she disappears into the role and is easily the best part about the whole film. Foster's not given amazing dialogue to work with, and yet through sheer talent, she pulls the movie together to craft a complex portrait of a woman torn between dedication to her friend and her own self-actualization. If nothing else, watch this movie for her performance.

In the age of streaming this is exactly the sort of thing to fall under the radar were it not for awards season, but it has more heart than most film's you can find on Netflix. This is not an incredibly well-made movie, but it doesn't need to be. The core thing that makes a story like this work is the emotional impact, and it delivers. Nyad's an imperfect but satisfying film, uplifting and well-acted enough to be worth a watch.

Finally score: 68/100.

The wonderful and uplifting story of Diana Nyad, who decides at 60 to complete her lifelong ambition, to swim from Cuba to Florida, a feat she couldn't achieve aged 28.

Netflix haven't had the best time of it this year, but they certainly pulled it out of the bag with this one, it's a cracking movie.

It's uplifting, it's daring, it's an adventure, a truly motivational story. Both Annette Bening and Jodie Foster are tremendous 8n third respective roles.

Now, I know it's superficial to comment on people's appearances, but can I just say how wonderful it is to see two natural looking actresses, for real, how refreshing.

I loved the music throughout the film, some real classics were chosen, including The Sound of Silence.

8/10.

I thought this could be boring but was a little interested, as I have placed a toe in the water of "endurance" with a few marathons over the years and an ironman at 70. These efforts are a 50 metre jog compared to what Diana Nyad attempted in the proposed swim from Cuba to Florida (110 miles). She had failed when younger but decided to try again at 60.

The subject matter is not intrinsically exciting but the film is saved by good direction from Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Free Solo), a clever script and excellent acting throughout, - especially from the 2 leads Annette Bening and Jodie Foster. I have met a few of these "ultra" people, utterly consumed by their current passion, the latest gruelling masochistic challenge, which has blotted out their view of anything or anyone else around them. Bening has wonderfully captured this character (- ?psychopathology). The single purposed mania to achieve 'this' - leavened by the occasional sobering insight of the selfishness and, maybe, craziness of it all. The friendship between the 2 ladies was well drawn and affecting.

I found the film surprisingly absorbing. To witness a great athlete with inspiring self-belief, the drama of the swim(s) and to see 2 talented actors at the height of their craft, was worth seeing.

Long distance swimmer Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) was a minor celebrity back in the 70's and 80's. Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster) is her longtime best friend and fleeting lesbian lover. It's 2010 and Nyad is drifting to her 60th birthday. Despite not doing big swims for the last 30 years, she decides to tackle her failed swim from Cuba to Florida when she was only 28. They hire local expert John Bartlett (Rhys Ifans) to guide them through the difficult currents.

It's the true story of Nyad who is allegedly the first to swim the Florida Strait unassisted. Married couple directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi do mostly documentaries of extreme adventurers. They are dipping their toes into bigger budget fares and this one has some big name actors. Annette Bening is striped down and is not afraid of looking ugly, both outside and inside. Nyad is not the most cuddly character. Jodie Foster is simply magnificent. She is way over-qualified to be second banana. Rhys Ifans rounds out the big three. The movie follows the standard sports movie profile. I would put more of her swim during 28 year old in the opening act. They need to accentuate her failed swim which would make her decision that much more compelling. This movie has one big surprise laugh and I wouldn't mind having more. Most of all, I love the relationship between Diana and Bonnie. It helps to have two great actresses playing these lived-in characters. They make this standard sports movie come alive.

This movie will tug at your heartstrings as it truly has an inspirational ending. I vaguely remember this news story back from 2013, and frankly the subject matter itself does not lure me in; instead I tune in because of Jodie Foster and Annette Benning. So that proves that those two acting legends are a wise choice for this production. Annette Benning's commitment to portray Diana Nyad with all her might almost equals the level of commitment and almost-insanity that Nyad herself exhibited during her quest to do the long-distance swim in her 60s. Jodie Foster further adds that extra layer of poignancy with her intense performance. I am glad for having seen the movie, but this feels more like a solid, uplifting documentary that happens to be reenacted, as opposed to a movie made to entertain you.

I love Annette Bening and Jody Foster. Both great actresses. But this movie was lacking. I think it mainly had to do with the writing. The Nyad character was just too quirky, with too many quick comebacks. I'm sure the real Nyad is a quirky character, but it was grating on film. Maybe it was just Benings portrayal. It's the first time I actually thought she did a poor job.

Both Bening and Foster were presenting real human women, which was refreshing. Bening isn't a spring chicken anymore and neither is Foster. And they both let the realness show through, wrinkles and all.

Again, incredibly inspiring story. But a so-so film.

The joy of watching all of the Oscar nominated films and performances is that it forces the BankofMarquis to watch a film that might, otherwise, disappear into the ether. Many a hidden gem is uncovered in those viewings.

Such is the case with NYAD. Both Annette Bening and Jodie Foster are Oscar nominated for their performances as swimmer Diana Nyad and her Coach and Friend (not lover) Bonnie Stoll - and both richly deserve it.

NYAD tells of the time, later in her life, where the 60-something Nyad attempts to be the first person to swim from Cuba to Key West, Fl. It was a dream that the then 28-year-old Nyad tried (and failed) to accomplish, so in her 60's, she decides to conquer her "Moby Dick". It is a powerful story of personal triumph over insurmountable challenges.

2x Oscar winner Foster is, surprisingly, nominated for the first time since 1995 and her portrayal of Stoll is fierce, strong and heartfelt. In another movie, this performance would be viewed as the strong central force that drives the film forward. But this is not another movie.

For the performance of Bening as NYAD is on another level all together. It is the 5th Oscar nomination for Bening and this performance, perhaps, is the best of her career - and that's saying something. Bening trained for over a year so that a "swimming double" would not be needed - and that is all well and good - but it is the emotional depth, passion and pure determination of soul that Bening imdues the character with that has the real-life person jump off the screen.

Add Bening's performance to Foster's performance - and add a dash of the always interesting Rhys Ifans in a low-key, grounded, performance as John Bartlett (the boat captain that plotted, re-plotted and adjusted Nyad's course) - and NYAD is a riveting watch.

What makes it all the more astonishing is that these strong performances - and the emotional depth that this film provides - as brought to the screen by first-time film Directors Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi. You can see the passion that they bring to the screen for this project and it is photographed beautifully. What holds the film back, just a bit, is the directors' obvious love of the material, so the camera lingers just a little too long at times and some scenes go on just a bit too much (at one point, I wanted to shout at the screen "okay...I get it...she's determined") but these are quibbles on a fine character study/drama.

Checkout NYAD for the human drama and the marvelous performances by Bening and Foster, you'll be glad you did.

Letter Grade: A-

8 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the BankofMarquis.

Greetings again from the darkness. All great athletes aren't great competitors, and all great competitors aren't great athletes. But when the two merge, the result is elite. Think Michael Jordan, Muhammed Ali, Novak Djokovic, Tiger Woods, and Michael Phelps. Of course, there are others, and this biopic focuses on one you might not have previously considered since she's so unique. Diana Nyad was a world class distance swimmer and had a tremendous career prior to becoming an analyst and commentator for ABC Sports. She had a career that made her famous in her field and a well-respected sports personality ... but that's not what made her the focus of this film from co-directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, the Oscar winning duo behind the extraordinary documentary FREE SOLO (2018).

In 2010, after a surprise 60th birthday party thrown for her by her friend Bonnie Stoll, Diana Nyad made up her mind to make the "Mount Everest" of open water swims ... from Cuba to Florida. Mind you, Nyad had failed on her attempt at this swim when she was 28 years old and in peak form. And yes, everyone thought she was a bit crazy and tried to talk her out of it. The swim is 103 miles, and the dangers included box jellyfish, sharks, and unpredictable weather and currents, not to mention the stamina and physical health required. But Diana would not be swayed from her goal.

Annette Bening stars as Nyad, and two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster co-stars as best friend Bonnie. As remarkable as Nyad's marathon swim goal was, much of the film focuses on the journey of friendship between Diana and Bonnie, especially once Bonnie takes on the role of coach and trainer. Their relationship (and the actors' performances) is the strength of the film. We feel the love and the frustrations. Diana's extreme level of determination (and hard-headedness) is paired with her equally extreme level of self-absorption and narcissism. Bonnie's loyalty is tested daily and over many years.

Why many years? The answer to that is in the number of failures Nyad experiences on her quest to complete the swim. The multiple attempts allow us to get familiar with the crew, especially navigator John Bartlett, played by the always interesting Rhys Ifans. The relationship between the crew and the swimmer builds the bridge between isolation and team sport. We see Diana use 4/4 music for the rhythm of her strokes and to keep her mind from wandering (or worse). The mental aspect of distance swimming is just as challenging as the physical side.

The story continues through 2013 at age 64, when we learn that the rules mean both ankles must be out of the water for the swim to count ... this after more than two full days and nights of swimming. Screenwriter Julia Cox has adapted the story from Diana Nyad's memoir, "Find a Way", and Oscar winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda (LIFE OF PI) works wonders in capturing the enormity of the swim as well as the intimacy of this deep friendship and the commitment of the crew.

Flashbacks of Diana's childhood are shown, which clue us in on what motivated her to push her body and mind to extremes. The film begins with a recap of Nyad's swimming career to ensure that viewers understand what a decorated athlete she was. Annette Bening is terrific here and it will be interesting to see if, after four previous nominations, this is the role that delivers that elusive gold statue. As for Jodie Foster, her rare screen appearances make it too easy to forget just how amazing she can be - it's nice to be reminded (be on the lookout for her in the new season of "True Detective" next year). Music by two-time Oscar winner Alexandre Desplat works well on the swims, and Nyad's dreams (and misses) inspire us to pursue our own ... even if our dreams are a bit less dramatic than "Mount Everest." Opens in select theaters on October 20, 2023 and streams on Netflix November 3, 2023.

This was a great movie that was helped by strong performances. Of course Annette Bening and Jodie Foster were spectacular, but I have to say that I was also very impressed with Rhys Ifans who played the ship's captain and am surprised that I don't see him in more movies or shows. The movie was very inspirational for too many different reasons to list here, but the main one would be that you are never too old to pursue your dreams.

My complaints for the film are minor. For one, the soundtrack was a bit off at times. 'Sound of Silence' plays during what should be an inspirational moment and you're left wondering if you should be depressed or hopeless instead. Second, there were the extremely fake sharks that seemed more fitting for a video game. Other than these complaints, I would highly recommend this movie to anyone.

Nyad is an incredible true story told in a pretty standard biopic fashion. It's a testament to never giving up, showing that there's still so much to be accomplished in later life but what helps this film really swim instead of sinking in a sea of similar competition is the two screen icons at the centre of it all.

Annette Bening has a physically demanding role that she embodies convincingly and equally impressive is how she makes Diana Nyad self obsessed without being irredeemable. Jodie Foster is superb, it's always so nice when she comes back and the chemistry between them is really strong.

It's built on Foster's constant support and the moment it's pushed to a breaking point that leads to the most satisfying moment with Bening gaining a newfound appreciation for others' sacrifices. Rhys Ifans has truly found his shtick, adding another gruff character with a heart of gold to his back catalogue.

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin do a good job of merging the style of their documentaries with a more traditional biopic. It's only the more surreal moments that don't really work but they're still visually exciting and something a little unique in something that's mostly operating on the well worn formula.

This movie is about Diana Nyad who at the age of 64 years old swam from Havana, Cuba to Key West in Florida. A real story by the way and not fiction.

She didn't try this once or twice, she did this five times, and on her 5th try, she fulfilled her DREAM.

What an incredible woman with that kind of willpower.

Once in a while, I feel we humans need to watch these kinds of movies to refill our souls/minds with ''you can do it too, don't give up''.

Whatever we humans go through, whatever we struggle with, when we see these kinds of movies, it ignites some kind of fire in us to continue to do the things we need to do. To continue to go after our dreams and if we fall down, it's ok, and let's get up again and continue.

I have no idea what kind of fire Diana had inside her to keep going after this dream, but she went for it and fulfilled her dream.

I always wonder what kind of superpower these folks have that goes after this stuff and doesn't give up.

Diana is truly an extraordinary human, with some kind of spirit that doesn't know what ''comfortable'' means. Imagine swimming in harsh environments out there in the ocean. Incredible.

This movie was great!

Whoever cast Annette Bening and Jodie Foster for these roles, should get gold medals! Annette and Jodie were perfect for these roles!

100% I recommend you watch this!

As "Nyad" (2023 release; 121 min) opens, we see news footage from the mid-late 1970s when marathon swimmer Diane Nyad sets several marks. We then go to "Los Angeles, August 22, 2010" and Nyad decides that she is going to try and swim from Havana to Key West, even though she is now 60 and she failed in her earlier attempt 30 years ago... At this point we are less than 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from Oscar-winning co-directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin ("Free Solo"). Here they look at another extreme sport (marathon swimming) but rather than doing a documentary about Nyad, they decide to do a biopic recreating the events. I very much respect the co-directors, and have seen most of their movies. That said, the movie succeeds mostly because of Annette Bening's fearless performance. Yes, Jodie Foster is good too, but nowhere near the level of Bening, sorry. There is also a pleasant original score, courtesy of Oscar-winning Alexandre Desplat. There are several things I didn't like about the movie but since they related to "plot', I'll remain silent and you can figure it out yourself.

"Nyad" premiered at the Telluride film festival a few months back, to good critical acclaim. After a one week US theatrical run in selected cities, it started streaming on Netflix last weekend. If you are in the mood of an extreme sports film or simply a fan of Annette Bening or Jodie Foster, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

After reading favorable reviews of this film I was anxious to see it but unfortunately I could barely make it to the end. Despite some amazing acting by both Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, I found the character of Diana Nyad to be extremely narcissistic, often rude in her responses to others, and just plain annoying. The film documents the five times she attempted to swim the distance between Florida and Cuba, but by the fifth try I had become so bored with both her and the film that at that point I really didn't care if she ended up succeeding or not. I think the film's messages of never giving up and not letting age hold you back are very admirable ones, but I personally feel that any athlete who puts their body through as much extreme torture and pain as Nyad repeatedly did in order to complete her goal would benefit from getting into psychotherapy. I was also curious about why the scene between John Bartlett and Jodie Foster's character was added in which he informs her he doesn't have much time left to live because "he's sick?" In real life John Bartlett unexpectedly died in his sleep at the age of 66, and he had no known diseases at the time.

Pretty much your textbook example of an ordinary, inspirational, sports flic with all the standard keys hit, from the "You're too old to do this" in the beginning to the titanic struggles in the middle to the triumphant hug at the end. It's worth watching if you are a fan of Annette Benning, Jodie Foster, or box jellyfish. Otherwise, there's not much to see. It's a semi whitewash job on the title character, with her penchant for embellishing (i.e. George Santos-itis) not only not gone into, but barely mentioned. However, the film cannot be accused of painting Nyad in a flattering light. Other than a lifetime supply of grit and determination Diana N is a huge, selfish, egotistical pain in the butt. Manipulative, too. And through Benning's skilled performance you miss none of it. By contrast, Foster's portrayal of her coach, friend and former partner is a wonderful study in obsessive selflessness. Give it a generous C plus for the great acting from these two.

I watch anything with Annette Bening or Jodie Foster in it. Two of the best in American cinema.

Each of these fine actors have a body of work that are not comparable to any male or female counterparts. You might have seen the story before but not here, these fine actors inhabit their characters and you forget they are actors playing these characters. Bening brings out the real character of a 61 years old who wants to swim ( again) from Florida to Cuba this time successfully. This film is worth watching just for the fine performances and nothing else. Here characters are multi dimensional and you feel their flaws and strengths.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and the message of endurance, goals, dreams, slowly continously working towards achieving the 'impossible' and NOT counting out Women of a certain age!

Great message and strong story we need more movies like this showing women who aren't vapid arm candy.

Yay!! Yes, it can get a bit long, but to have cut out her struggles and attempts would not be justified. All worth watching.

Endurance and her commitment to getting up each day before the sun, workout and do so even if she didn't want to, persistently, methodically working towards your envisioned dreams and keeping that vision no matter your age. Get up and do the same thing the next day, and the next, and next. Dont give up.

The director was afraid to go in the water past their ankles. They should have cannonballed in!

If only the screenplay was as bold as the actual lady being portrayed, this could have ratcheted up the tension and drama. It had plenty of both but played it safe. The movie was about Diana Nyad, who at the age of 60 attempts to swim, unaided, from Cuba to Florida. The acting was good and it was told straightforward. And while it tiptoed into visual creativity, it did so sparingly that it felt out of place. I did learn a lot about her massive challenge and obstacles to achieve it so that was useful to tell her story. It felt tailored to the upper female age brackets out for dinner and a movie but overall it was fine. Jodi Foster is ripped for her age. Wow.

What was really fascinating to me was that the two leads, Benning and Foster looked their ages. A totally refreshing appearance from all the botox and cosmetic surgery of most actors of their ages.

Nyad was shown warts and all, her massive ego and narcissism well portrayed.

But most of all the plot was about the friendshhip between the women, and the acting was superb, particularly by Foster. A tour de force. Bening is also good, a difficult role but we catch the humanity beneath her dominating personality.

The supporting cast is also well done, and the ending, triumphant, would bring tears to a stone.

An extraordinary feat by an extraordinary woman.

8/10.

Tells the story of long distance swimmer Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) who decides, in her sixties, to swim from Cuba to the Florida Keys. In her fight against the great distance, sharks and jelly fish, she is supported by a team including best friend and trainer Bonnie (Jodie Foster) and ship captain John (Rhys Ifans).

Whilst the sporting film elements around the will she, won't she question are interesting they don't get the heart pumping as much as they should do. What makes this enjoyable though is the central performances. Bening has a tough role but manages, despite Nyad being annoyingly determined and stuffed to the brim with self importance to make her still a character to be admired, even liked. Foster's role is more down to earth, but she is brilliant here having to stay strong and loving for her friend whilst wanting to strangle her. Finally, nice to see a more subdued Rhys Ifans who fits in here very nicely with a good turn. I'm not sure that completely ignoring the well publicised controversy that followed Nyad's ambitions sits well with me, but overall whilst it's not going to win any awards it's still worth catching.

It was decent.

It's a solid biographical narrative about Diana Nyad with strong performances, beautiful camera work and direction from Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. The director's previous works were documentaries like "Free Solo, The Rescue, and Meru" which are both visually breathtaking documentaries. Chin and Vasarhelyi have provided some extremely beautiful documentaries in the past that I have quite enjoyed. With this being their first fictional feature, the direction provided was pretty good that helped maintain the movie's tone, themes, and narrative structure together.

The narrative is the typical inspirational sports structured and it is predictable since it does follow the typical Hollywood bio movie style. But the narrative still has some strong emotional moments within the characters and tone. Many of the swimming and underwater moments are well-executed and the camerawork and presentation is gorgeous to look at. Many of the performances are pretty good as Annette Bening and Jodie Foster were great and provided good chemistry between one another. Unfortunately, because I am not a big sports person, I wasn't fully able to connect with the movie as the characters weren't too impactful and I felt the movie's themes and message is too familiar as there had been many other movies that followed this theme. Since the directors are have more experience with documentaries, I also felt like the energy and style from the direction isn't as strong or the same as their other works. I personally think this story would have been more interesting if it was a documentary rather than a feature film.

Overall, it's a solid watch.

This is a true story of incredible determination. NYAD, played by Anette Bening is a world -class swimmer who is now 61 years old. In her younger days she tried to swim the 100 miles from Cuba to Key West but failed. She now decides to try again and trains all day for weeks. She asks her "partner" played by Jody Foster, to manage her effort. Everyone that she tries to recruit to form a team initially resists but a team does come together.

I won't go into the details of the struggle to train and of the dangers NYAD will face but only say the two leads perform wonderfully as might be expected. I do think the film dragged a bit and would have been better if shortened.

A big objection I have is the single blasphemy hurled by Diaz to give tribute to the godless industry.