I love this film, it about a bunch of boys who either get sent on this ship to get disciplined by their parents or some just choose to escape their lives, They take it for granted tho, they don't realise how much hard work it will be. The ship and their captain take them on a journey, a journey that will probably change their lives forever, facing their fears and coming to grips with their lives, they learn a lot and pull together as a team. A truly moving story and another great film by Ridley Scott. From struggles to strengths, this is an inspiring film to watch with many good actors, Jeff bridges is really good for this role playing a tough, wise teacher for the boys. I love this as it is based on a true story, it makes it even more moving.
105 Reviews
Well acted and often moving
phadrs16 November 2002
I quite agree that it is a Dead Poets Society set at sea. It is a mistake to classify it as an Action Movie. It's about building trust and group reliance with some action scenes. The development of mutual respect between the boys is quite believable The acting is excellent in all cases. As a Jeff Bridges fan, I was surprised I'd never heard of it before it appeared on late night TV. The last looks exchanged between the captain and his wife are about as good as they get. Not a really great movie but I found it well worthwhile as a non-fan of action movies.
Dramatic come of age story by Ridley Scott
jeroenberndsen117 July 2003
White Squall
A group of boys joins a sailing vessel to finish their last year of High school on board of the Albatross. They have to learn to work together and act as a team, which at first, is not as easy as it may seem. As time goes by they really become one group and get very close.
This plot may not be to original, and could be stereotyped as cliche. However, as the story unfolds, it still stays fun too watch and jeff bridges as the bold sailor, hard but fair, trying to make men out of different kind of boys, each one coping with his own problems, keeps you interested.
Though (for some people too) dramatic, me and my girlfriend really enjoyed this movie. I can imagine some people having difficulties with the dosis of emotion in this pic. It didn't bother me, i like it when it's well proportioned and not too cliche, except for maybe the final scene, in my eyes White Squall lives up to this.
I think this is an enjoyable movie, when you're just lying back on the couch relaxing and let it flow over you. No difficult story, but it has great shots and pretty good acting and most of the characters are reasonably developed.
7,5 (for making us cry)
A group of boys joins a sailing vessel to finish their last year of High school on board of the Albatross. They have to learn to work together and act as a team, which at first, is not as easy as it may seem. As time goes by they really become one group and get very close.
This plot may not be to original, and could be stereotyped as cliche. However, as the story unfolds, it still stays fun too watch and jeff bridges as the bold sailor, hard but fair, trying to make men out of different kind of boys, each one coping with his own problems, keeps you interested.
Though (for some people too) dramatic, me and my girlfriend really enjoyed this movie. I can imagine some people having difficulties with the dosis of emotion in this pic. It didn't bother me, i like it when it's well proportioned and not too cliche, except for maybe the final scene, in my eyes White Squall lives up to this.
I think this is an enjoyable movie, when you're just lying back on the couch relaxing and let it flow over you. No difficult story, but it has great shots and pretty good acting and most of the characters are reasonably developed.
7,5 (for making us cry)
Good! Embrace the style and enjoy this gem of a 'sleeper'!
nz man18 May 2002
For at least 3 years I picked up this film at our local video store - and passed it up, groaning to myself that I was not interested in seeing a family style flick about a group of adolescents. Getting desperate to find a video one evening, I decided to take a chance. My wife and I really did enjoy this movie! Good solid acting, acceptable script, and an interesting story that happens to be true. If you are so addicted to the usual action or sex film, then maybe you will not like this film. But if you can appreciate good wholesome qualities, then this flick should be tried. The suspense is quite good - better than I expected, and the special effects are excellent.
A few good perfectly stormy A&F models
jayson-46 September 2002
Well, maybe it isn't that bad. Some moments are touching, others genuinely harrowing. And Jeff Bridges always comes up with something surprising. But, "true story" though it may be, "White Squall" is overwhelmed by its obvious schematic and Ridley Scott's signature gloss. Each young crewmember has a stamped-on singular defect, Scott Wolf's tomcruisy precociousness is particularly grating, and for all the magnificent ocean scenery and blather about boys being forged into men, we're shown precious little of the day-to-day grunt/teamwork that's at the core of the whole business. Add to this the greatest assemblage of immaculate white t-shirts and bronzed, hairless torsos since Abercrombie met Fitch, and a potentially gritty, moving story lies trapped in amber.
the weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed...
lee_eisenberg15 June 2006
I would say that "White Squall" deserves more credit than it got when it was released. Portraying several young men and their captain (Jeff Bridges) going sailing and encountering a devastating storm, the movie really holds you. Never getting preachy about friendship and never turning into a silly action flick, it's a movie that knows how to tell a story. Another good addition to Ridley Scott's filmography. And that one scene with the Dutch school girl...hubba hubba! On another note, this movie was my introduction to Ryan Phillippe, who plays one of the young men (although his name didn't enter my vocabulary until I saw "I Know What You Did Last Summer"). Also starring are John Savage, Jeremy Sisto (Billy on "Six Feet Under"), Ethan Embry and Zeljko Ivanek. Certainly worth seeing.
I have to admit, I would never want to go sailing. Too many bad things seem to happen.
I have to admit, I would never want to go sailing. Too many bad things seem to happen.
Mediochre unless watched while half asleep
andyroo7716 November 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this film at 12:00am last night (tuesday 15th Nov) as it was the best of a bad lot. With nothing else on the box I thought I'd give it a go. And how glad am I that I did? Slightly glad. But not desperately.
To be honest I thought that it was a reasonable film; adventures on the high seas have to do something to become different from the rest. The use of a freak weather event may seem like an oceanic take on day after tomorrow, as I thought it would be reading a summary ahead of watching, but actually the weather took up a very short amount of time. A lot of this film was devoted to the rite of passage that the boys/ young men go through before they reach the "white squall" itself, and this allows for the typical moving goodbyes to trapped loved one as the ship sinks.
This is just one of the reasons that I didn't give this a higher rating. The corny moments did make me squirm, and the moment when Frank (one of the young men) rings the ships bell in court sent the "corn-o-meter" off the chart and caused, to be honest, a feeling of an anticlimax. There was of course the sterling speech from our hero narrator, which we come to expect when a friend/mentor/good guy is up against a court, but the inclusion of the bell ringing did perhaps sway me towards an even lower rating before I reminded myself of the good moments of the film.
There are some very believable performances all round, and I did especially like the old grizzly English teacher, with his insatiable love for his subject. Jeff Bridges does give a good performance and the young narrator, Scott Wolf (did anyone else think he looked a little bit like a very young Tom Cruise) did a good job as well.
All in all, it's a good film to be watching at 12 o'clock at night, but it does sink into mediocrity as soon as dawn breaks and you can find something worth watching. Not a must see, but not awful by any accounts.
To be honest I thought that it was a reasonable film; adventures on the high seas have to do something to become different from the rest. The use of a freak weather event may seem like an oceanic take on day after tomorrow, as I thought it would be reading a summary ahead of watching, but actually the weather took up a very short amount of time. A lot of this film was devoted to the rite of passage that the boys/ young men go through before they reach the "white squall" itself, and this allows for the typical moving goodbyes to trapped loved one as the ship sinks.
This is just one of the reasons that I didn't give this a higher rating. The corny moments did make me squirm, and the moment when Frank (one of the young men) rings the ships bell in court sent the "corn-o-meter" off the chart and caused, to be honest, a feeling of an anticlimax. There was of course the sterling speech from our hero narrator, which we come to expect when a friend/mentor/good guy is up against a court, but the inclusion of the bell ringing did perhaps sway me towards an even lower rating before I reminded myself of the good moments of the film.
There are some very believable performances all round, and I did especially like the old grizzly English teacher, with his insatiable love for his subject. Jeff Bridges does give a good performance and the young narrator, Scott Wolf (did anyone else think he looked a little bit like a very young Tom Cruise) did a good job as well.
All in all, it's a good film to be watching at 12 o'clock at night, but it does sink into mediocrity as soon as dawn breaks and you can find something worth watching. Not a must see, but not awful by any accounts.
Uneven, but has it's moments
Idocamstuf29 September 2003
What this film is, is basically a hybrid of "Dead Poets Society", and "The Poseiden Adventure". Jeff Bridges leads a group of boys on a ship where they learn, as well as do vigorous physical exercises. Of course every boy has some problem, let it be grades arn't high enough, or fear of heights, or problems with parents. The cast is very good, but the script is rather weak, leaving the film rather uninvolving. Still its usually entertaining, and all of the ocean water is refreshing to look at. I'll give it a 6.5/10.
Excellent movie
myworld9183 June 2005
I am sure many people who rated this poorly would rate "Bad Boys" a phenomenal work of art. This movie, if watched with more than just an eye for special effects, tells the story of people finding themselves and becoming a family of sorts. The world in which we live has far too little depth of character. Yes the movie was condensed in a few parts but unless you intended it to be a 3 month long movie some parts had to "wind up on the cutting floor" as one poor soul commented. People just watch movies nowadays rather than "live" them, understand them, try to find out what the message was. This movie showed soul, it moves me every time I watch it.
A coming-of-age story in which a group of teens undertake an adventurous sailing voyage.
ma-cortes24 January 2022
A true story set In the year of 1960, a couple took aboard eight teenage boys . As a group of 13 young men who become students at Ocean Academy , a year-long adventures spent aboard the brigantine Albatross , along the way they learn friendship , loyalty , comradeship, trustworthiness or whatever their parents feel they lack. The school is commanded by the captain, Christopher "Skipper" Sheldon (Jeff Bridges) and his wife, Dr. Alice Sheldon (Caroline Goodall) . The young crew (Scott Wolf , Jeremy Sisto , Ryan Phillippe , David Lascher, Eric Cole , Jason Marsden, Balthazar Getty , Ethan Embry, among others) goes through hard times and more laid-back times, but they must come together when a sudden freak storm , the White Squall , overtakes the ship in the Caribbean seas and get them in problem in the middle of the ocean . The strongest force in nature is the will to survive ! . The Adventure Of a Lifetime Turns Into the Ultimate Challenge of Survival !
A sensitive and enjoyable story in which some teenagers learning how to sail aboard an American ship school called the "Albatros¨, to be an expert crew, and respect one another from around the country for eight months. As teenager boys discover discipline , fidelity and camaraderie on an ill-fated sailing . "White Squall" is the real story of adolescent boys who crew a school sailing ship to gain experience , honesty , discipline, as the voyage is a true adventure for them all but it has its downs as well as ups. While the boys agonize over their various crises making the first half of the film into a veritable ¨Dead Poets yachting society¨. There's a shift to Caine Mutiny type trial in which the captain must prove the tragedy was not his fault while survivors rally to his defence . Along with main starring Jeff Bridges who plays the ship's captain and surrogate dad , as well as Caroline Goodall who performs his faithfull wife , there appear also a lot of future young promises to develop important careers such as : Scott Wolf , Jeremy Sisto , Ryan Phillippe , David Lascher , Balthazar Getty, Ethan Embry , Jason Marsden and veterans as John Savage , David Selby , Julio Oscar Mechoso and Zeljko Ivanek
The motion picture was well directed by Ridley Scott who excels at showing the fury of nature in the prolonged storm scene , but takes his time getting there . The film was professionally made , following Scott style and at his best and as stylish as ever , similarly his previous film ¨Someone to watch over me¨ and others as ¨Blade runner¨, ¨Black Rain¨ , in which his visual style is impressive as well as his speciality ,the historical genre , as ¨Robin Hood¨ , ¨Kingdom of heaven¨ , ¨Duelists¨ and ¨Black Hawk down¨ . Rating : 6/10. Acceptable and passable . Essential and indispensable watching for Ridley Scott followers. Well worth seeing .
A sensitive and enjoyable story in which some teenagers learning how to sail aboard an American ship school called the "Albatros¨, to be an expert crew, and respect one another from around the country for eight months. As teenager boys discover discipline , fidelity and camaraderie on an ill-fated sailing . "White Squall" is the real story of adolescent boys who crew a school sailing ship to gain experience , honesty , discipline, as the voyage is a true adventure for them all but it has its downs as well as ups. While the boys agonize over their various crises making the first half of the film into a veritable ¨Dead Poets yachting society¨. There's a shift to Caine Mutiny type trial in which the captain must prove the tragedy was not his fault while survivors rally to his defence . Along with main starring Jeff Bridges who plays the ship's captain and surrogate dad , as well as Caroline Goodall who performs his faithfull wife , there appear also a lot of future young promises to develop important careers such as : Scott Wolf , Jeremy Sisto , Ryan Phillippe , David Lascher , Balthazar Getty, Ethan Embry , Jason Marsden and veterans as John Savage , David Selby , Julio Oscar Mechoso and Zeljko Ivanek
The motion picture was well directed by Ridley Scott who excels at showing the fury of nature in the prolonged storm scene , but takes his time getting there . The film was professionally made , following Scott style and at his best and as stylish as ever , similarly his previous film ¨Someone to watch over me¨ and others as ¨Blade runner¨, ¨Black Rain¨ , in which his visual style is impressive as well as his speciality ,the historical genre , as ¨Robin Hood¨ , ¨Kingdom of heaven¨ , ¨Duelists¨ and ¨Black Hawk down¨ . Rating : 6/10. Acceptable and passable . Essential and indispensable watching for Ridley Scott followers. Well worth seeing .
It's hard to create a compelling character story with such badly written characters
KnightsofNi1118 March 2011
What happens when you throw together too many uninteresting characters and try to make something way more dramatic than it needs to be. You get Ridley Scott's White Squall. This film is based on a true story from 1960 when a group of schoolboys took to the open seas to learn about discipline and becoming a man. The ship is called the Albatross and the captain is the hard boiled Christopher Sheldon, played by Jeff Bridges. The boys learn about what it takes to become a man and the self discipline needed to be an honorable and respected individual. But it is a tragic storm that teaches them some difficult lessons about life and death.
This film is, for the most part, a character driven story. This is a real problem when you could care less about any of the characters. Character with daddy issues. Check. Macho man who can't read or write. Check. Highly intelligent character that, despite all his book smarts, still has a lot to learn. Check. One dimensional narrator. Check. The list goes on, but my point is that this film has all the necessary stereotypes for your most typical coming of age story. Thus this film permits nothing new or interesting. Another problem could be that there are just too many characters. The film tries to develop all of the boys and they are subsequently underdeveloped. You don't have enough time or information to develop a connection with any one character and so everything that happens with these boys is incredibly uninteresting. There is also a very flat dynamic between characters. They are all pretty white boys that come from upper class American families making the characters devoid of any kind of diversity.
The biggest issue here is that the film truly believes it possesses everything I just said it didn't have. It tries so hard to be a gripping drama but its character development completely missed the mark, making all of these "dramatic" scenes silly and moronic. I could care less about one boys success at learning how to read and write from the help of two other boys because his character is obnoxious, underdeveloped, and flat. Yet the film tries so hard to elicit an emotional response here that I want to ignore it even further.
Aesthetically this film is a different story. Ridley Scott is in no way a bad director, it just seems like he had a serious string of duds post Blade Runner. He makes the most out of White Squall with an epic scale ocean scope. The climactic scene of the film is the terrible storm that hits the Albatross and Scott shoots this scene magnificently. He manages to make this the only truly dramatic moment of the film and the scene manages to be as riveting as is possible for such a lackluster film. In a way this makes the film more of a disappointment. If I had cared more about the film before the epic storm scene, this scene would have been more powerful than it already was. It really makes me wish more effort had been put into the first two thirds of the film because the last third, even after the storm scene, is pretty decent. The film also concludes very well, making the film a would be satisfying experience.
White Squall is an overall mediocre cinematic experience. Not nearly enough effort was put into developing the array of characters who were the most important focus of this film. Ridley Scott directs as well as he can for such a poor script, but it doesn't save White Squall from being a major disappointment.
This film is, for the most part, a character driven story. This is a real problem when you could care less about any of the characters. Character with daddy issues. Check. Macho man who can't read or write. Check. Highly intelligent character that, despite all his book smarts, still has a lot to learn. Check. One dimensional narrator. Check. The list goes on, but my point is that this film has all the necessary stereotypes for your most typical coming of age story. Thus this film permits nothing new or interesting. Another problem could be that there are just too many characters. The film tries to develop all of the boys and they are subsequently underdeveloped. You don't have enough time or information to develop a connection with any one character and so everything that happens with these boys is incredibly uninteresting. There is also a very flat dynamic between characters. They are all pretty white boys that come from upper class American families making the characters devoid of any kind of diversity.
The biggest issue here is that the film truly believes it possesses everything I just said it didn't have. It tries so hard to be a gripping drama but its character development completely missed the mark, making all of these "dramatic" scenes silly and moronic. I could care less about one boys success at learning how to read and write from the help of two other boys because his character is obnoxious, underdeveloped, and flat. Yet the film tries so hard to elicit an emotional response here that I want to ignore it even further.
Aesthetically this film is a different story. Ridley Scott is in no way a bad director, it just seems like he had a serious string of duds post Blade Runner. He makes the most out of White Squall with an epic scale ocean scope. The climactic scene of the film is the terrible storm that hits the Albatross and Scott shoots this scene magnificently. He manages to make this the only truly dramatic moment of the film and the scene manages to be as riveting as is possible for such a lackluster film. In a way this makes the film more of a disappointment. If I had cared more about the film before the epic storm scene, this scene would have been more powerful than it already was. It really makes me wish more effort had been put into the first two thirds of the film because the last third, even after the storm scene, is pretty decent. The film also concludes very well, making the film a would be satisfying experience.
White Squall is an overall mediocre cinematic experience. Not nearly enough effort was put into developing the array of characters who were the most important focus of this film. Ridley Scott directs as well as he can for such a poor script, but it doesn't save White Squall from being a major disappointment.
Not one of Ridley Scott's best, but it deserved better
Colonel Ted17 January 2000
With masterpieces like Alien, Blade Runner and the underrated, but superb, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, I am quite a big Ridley Scott fan. White Squall is something of a let down in comparison, but it certainly deserved more than a measly $10 million US gross at the box office. As you would expect from a Scott film it boasts his trademark lavish production quality and stunning photography. The sequences at sea at some of the most spectacular ever filmed as Scott revels in the rolling waves and lurching ship, convey the ferociousness at sea, even in fairly calm conditions like no other film I can recall. The story however is less successful and is essentially (and unusually unoriginal for a Scott movie) a Dead Poets' Society at sea, as a motley crew of young boys, played by a talented and convincing set youngsters, do a lot of growing during the course of the voyage under the watchful eye of an Ahab-esque but eventually sympathetic Jeff Bridges. The final scene most definitely resembles that of Dead Poets' Society. (Captain. My Captain). However the film as a whole never bores and makes for compulsive viewing at times particularly the superb storm of the title, that is both moving as well technical tour de force.
Good movie but slow in spots
mm-3929 November 2002
The film is entertaining, and the White squall part is excellent. However, the film is slow in spots, and drags it down from a 7. Jeff Bridges is a good actor, and I like him in this film. The end the film is a bit of a downer, but where would the interest be if no tragedy occurred. Worth watching on TV. 6 or 7 out of 10.
Why a 3 of 10? Don't economize on the script writer.
averkhov31 January 2000
So i gave this movie a 3 out of 10, and that's a pretty low grade. Why? - i keep asking myself. Why didn't i like it? If you take it apart, every part deserved at least an OK. There are good actors, and they play well, so for acting it deserves at least a 6. The scenery is very beautiful, i must say, this i really enjoyed, nothing beats the 'sun and sea atmosphere'.
It all comes down to plot. Maybe because it's a real story based movie, maybe just a bad script write job, it's hard to say. But my main complaint here, is that i knew what would happen after first 15 minutes of watching it. Maybe not the exact detail, but the outline of the plot is perfectly clear. It is done in the classic American tradition, setting - drama - resolution. But i cannot watch a movie that doesn't offer any surprises, and this is exactly the case here. There are very few movies that i actually would want to see for the second time(that is, if i know the plot beforehand), but these movies have some exceptional brilliant trait, be it the camera work, or the dialog, or something else yet or all things combined. The White Squall is done well, but there is nothing brilliant about it, and since the plot becomes clear very soon, why watch it at all?
I must also confess that i'm very tired of this greatly overused father-son conflict, there has been zillions of movies about it and here is yet another one. In certain situations, it maybe fine to use it, but only if there is something new to be said about it. In this movie it's perfectly trivial. I must also note that the situation is similar with control issue. Part of the drama comes from the fact that the skipper, a man who is used to having perfect control of everything is being shown that this control is no more then an illusion when it comes to forces of nature. And haven't we seen this before, be it the mob, the police, a storm or a flood, it always looks the same.
If you like this kind of drama, that comes from strong men being put to stress, then this is a movie for you, but don't expect any surprises, or clever plot turns.
It all comes down to plot. Maybe because it's a real story based movie, maybe just a bad script write job, it's hard to say. But my main complaint here, is that i knew what would happen after first 15 minutes of watching it. Maybe not the exact detail, but the outline of the plot is perfectly clear. It is done in the classic American tradition, setting - drama - resolution. But i cannot watch a movie that doesn't offer any surprises, and this is exactly the case here. There are very few movies that i actually would want to see for the second time(that is, if i know the plot beforehand), but these movies have some exceptional brilliant trait, be it the camera work, or the dialog, or something else yet or all things combined. The White Squall is done well, but there is nothing brilliant about it, and since the plot becomes clear very soon, why watch it at all?
I must also confess that i'm very tired of this greatly overused father-son conflict, there has been zillions of movies about it and here is yet another one. In certain situations, it maybe fine to use it, but only if there is something new to be said about it. In this movie it's perfectly trivial. I must also note that the situation is similar with control issue. Part of the drama comes from the fact that the skipper, a man who is used to having perfect control of everything is being shown that this control is no more then an illusion when it comes to forces of nature. And haven't we seen this before, be it the mob, the police, a storm or a flood, it always looks the same.
If you like this kind of drama, that comes from strong men being put to stress, then this is a movie for you, but don't expect any surprises, or clever plot turns.
A well-produced and directed film of a true story
vad-215 January 2000
I saw this film on TV for the first time last week. Although the story line was a little weak, the film sequences at sea were excellent, particularly the final storm (white squall) in which the boy actors portrayed the reality of the tragedy.
Jeff Bridges gave a good performance as the captain whose task was to instil discipline and develop the characters of the boys in his charge. However, some members of the crew were miscast.
I highly recommend this film.
Jeff Bridges gave a good performance as the captain whose task was to instil discipline and develop the characters of the boys in his charge. However, some members of the crew were miscast.
I highly recommend this film.
Tense Past
Angry_Arguer19 July 2004
Yeah, this is 'Dead Poets' on water (as I think 1000 other reviewers have commented). What difference does it make? They're both Disney movies and Disney is known for re-using the same idiotic themes. So let's get to the interesting stuff.
Scott catches on trends quite often and then supersedes them with his own. Think of it, we go from the 'Jaws' ripoff to the 'Alien' clone. 'Legend' came in the 80s fantasy craze. '1492' was a historical cash-in. Now he's spawned the epic-craze of which he is still master (Petersen will never improve).
So it's interesting to see this as one of his less derivative works. Unlike 'Blade Runner', this hasn't acquired as successful of a following and it's kind of obvious. Most likely it's because Scott was experimenting here unlike 'Blade' and it didn't work too well.
Anyway, we do get some interesting pieces. The titles are absolutely superb. The views of the ship are enthralling. Heck, even the beauty of the dolphins is made almost angelic. Too bad the whole "stupid bully cliche" had to barge in.
Final Analysis = = Midrange Material
Scott catches on trends quite often and then supersedes them with his own. Think of it, we go from the 'Jaws' ripoff to the 'Alien' clone. 'Legend' came in the 80s fantasy craze. '1492' was a historical cash-in. Now he's spawned the epic-craze of which he is still master (Petersen will never improve).
So it's interesting to see this as one of his less derivative works. Unlike 'Blade Runner', this hasn't acquired as successful of a following and it's kind of obvious. Most likely it's because Scott was experimenting here unlike 'Blade' and it didn't work too well.
Anyway, we do get some interesting pieces. The titles are absolutely superb. The views of the ship are enthralling. Heck, even the beauty of the dolphins is made almost angelic. Too bad the whole "stupid bully cliche" had to barge in.
Final Analysis = = Midrange Material
A good story of the Albatross is yet to be told.
wgewaldii6 October 2013
Few of the principals of this story remain today. A year after the sinking, a book was written by one of the crew, called "The Last Voyage of the Albatross." The book provide little information, but was timely. The movie was made 30 years after the event, but early on gets into weepy over-dramatization. By the time of the ship's capsizing, too much is taken away from the tragedy by the tedious script. A good film or book would follow the career of Chris Sheldon, whose misfortune at sea was not limited to being skipper of the Albatross. Such a book could also follow the life of Alice Strahan Sheldon and her experience as a member of the Girl Scout Mariner program.
Don't Rock the Boat
wes-connors10 February 2013
Mystic, Connecticut high school student Scott Wolf (as Charles "Chuck" Gieg) goes to sea for his 1960-61 senior year. He joins the crew of "Skipper" Jeff Bridges (as Christopher Sheldon) on the amusingly named ship "Albatross". While not acknowledged in the script as such, the name turns out to be a bad omen. Of course, you knew that going in. There are teachers on board, but the real lesson is adventure on the high seas. This is where boys become men. They fight, cry and study together. They bond while smoking, drinking and taking penicillin shots for venereal disease...
Our narrator and star is Mr. Wolf, who gained popularity as a small screen look-alike for Tom Cruise on the TV series "Party of Five" (1994). Top-billed co-star Mr. Bridges gained his sea legs on his famous father's syndicated series "Sea Hunt" (1958)...
Wolf and the "boys" look more like "male model" college graduates than high school teenagers. They have shaved chests, plucked eyebrows, pouty lips, and perfectly trimmed hair. Wolf is first drawn to boyish Ryan Phillippe (as Gil Martin), who clings to a picture of his dead brother and has a fear of heights. Made obvious for his lateness and snobbery is Jeremy Sisto (as Frank Beaumont). He commits a despicable act due to domineering daddy David Selby (as Francis Beaumont). In a lesser storyline, initially obnoxious Eric Michael Cole (as Dean Preston) goes to the head of the class...
This is based on a true story. Having age appropriate actors play the parts might have made some of the behavior look more inappropriate; herein, they appear trimmed, tempered and tamed. The photography, by Hugh Johnson, is a strength.
****** White Squall (2/2/96) Ridley Scott ~ Scott Wolf, Jeff Bridges, Ryan Phillippe, Jeremy Sisto
Our narrator and star is Mr. Wolf, who gained popularity as a small screen look-alike for Tom Cruise on the TV series "Party of Five" (1994). Top-billed co-star Mr. Bridges gained his sea legs on his famous father's syndicated series "Sea Hunt" (1958)...
Wolf and the "boys" look more like "male model" college graduates than high school teenagers. They have shaved chests, plucked eyebrows, pouty lips, and perfectly trimmed hair. Wolf is first drawn to boyish Ryan Phillippe (as Gil Martin), who clings to a picture of his dead brother and has a fear of heights. Made obvious for his lateness and snobbery is Jeremy Sisto (as Frank Beaumont). He commits a despicable act due to domineering daddy David Selby (as Francis Beaumont). In a lesser storyline, initially obnoxious Eric Michael Cole (as Dean Preston) goes to the head of the class...
This is based on a true story. Having age appropriate actors play the parts might have made some of the behavior look more inappropriate; herein, they appear trimmed, tempered and tamed. The photography, by Hugh Johnson, is a strength.
****** White Squall (2/2/96) Ridley Scott ~ Scott Wolf, Jeff Bridges, Ryan Phillippe, Jeremy Sisto
Quite possibly one of the saddest movies I've ever seen!
cstafford-213 November 2000
Good movie. If you are in the mood for a truly tragic movie, with one of the all-time most heart-wrenching scenes in cinema, you'll love this movie. I own this movie because of that one scene alone. And the rest of the movie is pretty good too. Some beautiful sailing scenery, etc. I thought this movie should have been more well known.
Inspirational and touching
jmorrison-25 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Well-done movie, with inspirational message, and a hopeful, touching finale.
Jeff Bridges is a sea captain, owner and manager of a sea-going school-ship for boys. He runs the school with somewhat of an iron fist, while also allowing the boys room to grow to be men. It is this quality that will later cause him trouble. He also has no patience for fools, or boys trying to deal with their resentment of Daddy. In one memorable scene, he banishes a dangerously troubled boy who spears a dolphin for no other reason than he is confused and angry. It is this banishment which appears to be the thing to finally reach this boy, and he will later bravely shake off his father's influence and stand up for his captain and shipmates.
Most of the movie traces their travels, studies and experiences in exotic ports. Finally, they run into a severe storm, some kind of meteorological anomaly, which devastates the boat, and takes the lives of some of the boys, and Bridges's wife. The scene of Bridges seeing his wife, alive, through the skylight of the sinking ship, powerless to help or rescue her, is excruciating and memorable.
Bridges is taken to a court of inquiry to determine his responsibility in the loss of lives. It is during this courtroom drama that the boys of the school stand up and become the men Bridges' guided them to be.
Generally, men will get this movie, with it's subtle references to choosing and traveling your own path, making choices of honor, being responsible for your actions, being brave and standing for whats right, no matter what. A scene where they are boarded by Cuban sailors drives this home to the boys very effectively.
A surprisingly effective, touching movie, with solid performances all around.
Jeff Bridges is a sea captain, owner and manager of a sea-going school-ship for boys. He runs the school with somewhat of an iron fist, while also allowing the boys room to grow to be men. It is this quality that will later cause him trouble. He also has no patience for fools, or boys trying to deal with their resentment of Daddy. In one memorable scene, he banishes a dangerously troubled boy who spears a dolphin for no other reason than he is confused and angry. It is this banishment which appears to be the thing to finally reach this boy, and he will later bravely shake off his father's influence and stand up for his captain and shipmates.
Most of the movie traces their travels, studies and experiences in exotic ports. Finally, they run into a severe storm, some kind of meteorological anomaly, which devastates the boat, and takes the lives of some of the boys, and Bridges's wife. The scene of Bridges seeing his wife, alive, through the skylight of the sinking ship, powerless to help or rescue her, is excruciating and memorable.
Bridges is taken to a court of inquiry to determine his responsibility in the loss of lives. It is during this courtroom drama that the boys of the school stand up and become the men Bridges' guided them to be.
Generally, men will get this movie, with it's subtle references to choosing and traveling your own path, making choices of honor, being responsible for your actions, being brave and standing for whats right, no matter what. A scene where they are boarded by Cuban sailors drives this home to the boys very effectively.
A surprisingly effective, touching movie, with solid performances all around.
An honest look at the past
flingebunt18 September 2005
Ridley is an interesting director for one simple reason, he tells the story as it is. He doesn't try and reinterpret the story. This worked brilliantly for Alien and Black Hawk down. With white squall we see America looking at its 1960s self without trying to dress it up and find the cool.
Based on a true story it tells about a school ship sailing around the Caribbean. It deals with many issues about this boys, who happen to live in the 1960s. The story involves personal triumph as the boys learn how to become a team. There is a also tragedy when the ship is caught in a sudden storm.
Ultimately a little stilted, but that is the appeal. A lazy Sunday afternoon movie
Based on a true story it tells about a school ship sailing around the Caribbean. It deals with many issues about this boys, who happen to live in the 1960s. The story involves personal triumph as the boys learn how to become a team. There is a also tragedy when the ship is caught in a sudden storm.
Ultimately a little stilted, but that is the appeal. A lazy Sunday afternoon movie
All look the same to me.
aramo117 April 2003
Based on R1 DVD 129 min.
Maybe I'm getting dumber in my old age but for most of the movie I had trouble putting a character to the faces on screen maybe it's because much of the story takes place off screen. The characters behave in ways unexplained by the story with apparent rivals helping each other as if deep bonds formed within the clips on the cutting room floor.
5/10 catch it on TV.
Maybe I'm getting dumber in my old age but for most of the movie I had trouble putting a character to the faces on screen maybe it's because much of the story takes place off screen. The characters behave in ways unexplained by the story with apparent rivals helping each other as if deep bonds formed within the clips on the cutting room floor.
5/10 catch it on TV.
Excellent movie!
italofan11 December 2005
This movie for me is incredible! Since I like Sea and sailing boats a lot this movie is just right movie for me (like Master And Commander with Russel Crowe)and I believe for many others who likes Sea and sailing. This movie presents happy and sad story at the same time. I am delighted with characters of boys and others, with they relationship and killing the dolphin was something terrible. Everyone of boys has own big problems and we can describe that on the way what Chuck said: "Some of us are here for discipline, some for escape. And the rest don't even know why. I'm not sure where I fit in, but I can see a small piece of myself in each of them. I think I'll have friends here, and I hope this will be home." Very beautiful what he said, right? Ohh yes, and sound effects in movie are excellent in my opinion. I was enjoying the movie with great pleasure!
Ridley Scott's Visceral and Occasionally Powerful Sailing Film Could've Been Wiser and More Personal in the Way It Develops Its Characters.
jzappa31 August 2009
Herd a crew of fledgling white guys, apportion good and bad characteristics among them, and have them learn through tough examples that it is best to stick together and adhere to command. Women provide a supplementary function. The intrinsic outlook of the movie is that boys grow up to be men who do cool things together and then go out on Saturday night looking for compliant enough girls.
Nearly all movies in this genre have one kid with a wealthy, contemptible father who appears without notice, humiliating his son and requiring unreasonable things of him. And also a kid with a closeted neurotic fear. And a kid who is fearful that he doesn't have what it takes. All such characters feature here, although they are a little hard to tell apart since, rather than conveniently button-down casting, Scott has furnished the posse with brawny, sun-tanned young sorts with contour haircuts who seem like they hang out in Dockers ads. The dubious altruistic goal, the arbitrary crew members and the mandatory array of particular conflicts keep the movie from zooming in more on individual characters and the objective of cultivating superjock confederates. Nevertheless, there are some fine qualities to this film. There is the dimension of the ship itself, the more often than not opulent cinematography, the sumptuous atmosphere of release over nights in port, and the storm sequence near the end.
The most powerful sequence though is one that obliges more respect than the movie surrounding it. It is the death of a dolphin at the hands of one of the shipmates. We understand this boy's need to inflict violence in the state of mind to which he's been driven, but Scott lets us know full well how bewildered and betrayed the dolphin feels, one moment playing with the other shipmates and the next being put out of its misery on the dry deck of a ship as its family flees the unpredictable humans. It is an extremely difficult scene to watch, but it is a deeply honorable one, because it brings out the truly humanistic sides of the characters and us, the audience, when confronting the reality of the truly benign maligned.
As for the storm I will not say much, save to note that the title refers to a sudden and violent windstorm phenomenon at sea which is not accompanied by the black clouds generally characteristic of a windstorm, but instead white-capped waves and broken water, a meager warning to any unfortunate seafarer caught in its path. And so it does, in storm footage of extravagant wrath, and of the true dwarfing effect the sea has on any man-made power. Indeed, the man-made consequence of the storm is a trial presided over by the Coast Guard, at which sides are taken and diatribes are performed that will ring quite common to anyone who remembers the main feature of most any late '80s-90s mainstream American movie.
Scott's anamorphically shot sailing film could have been wiser and more personal in the way it develops its characters. Its inherent ideals are preferable the less you contemplate them. However, I enjoyed the movie for the headlong visceral vitality and unexpected, almost incongruous humanism of its adventure.
Nearly all movies in this genre have one kid with a wealthy, contemptible father who appears without notice, humiliating his son and requiring unreasonable things of him. And also a kid with a closeted neurotic fear. And a kid who is fearful that he doesn't have what it takes. All such characters feature here, although they are a little hard to tell apart since, rather than conveniently button-down casting, Scott has furnished the posse with brawny, sun-tanned young sorts with contour haircuts who seem like they hang out in Dockers ads. The dubious altruistic goal, the arbitrary crew members and the mandatory array of particular conflicts keep the movie from zooming in more on individual characters and the objective of cultivating superjock confederates. Nevertheless, there are some fine qualities to this film. There is the dimension of the ship itself, the more often than not opulent cinematography, the sumptuous atmosphere of release over nights in port, and the storm sequence near the end.
The most powerful sequence though is one that obliges more respect than the movie surrounding it. It is the death of a dolphin at the hands of one of the shipmates. We understand this boy's need to inflict violence in the state of mind to which he's been driven, but Scott lets us know full well how bewildered and betrayed the dolphin feels, one moment playing with the other shipmates and the next being put out of its misery on the dry deck of a ship as its family flees the unpredictable humans. It is an extremely difficult scene to watch, but it is a deeply honorable one, because it brings out the truly humanistic sides of the characters and us, the audience, when confronting the reality of the truly benign maligned.
As for the storm I will not say much, save to note that the title refers to a sudden and violent windstorm phenomenon at sea which is not accompanied by the black clouds generally characteristic of a windstorm, but instead white-capped waves and broken water, a meager warning to any unfortunate seafarer caught in its path. And so it does, in storm footage of extravagant wrath, and of the true dwarfing effect the sea has on any man-made power. Indeed, the man-made consequence of the storm is a trial presided over by the Coast Guard, at which sides are taken and diatribes are performed that will ring quite common to anyone who remembers the main feature of most any late '80s-90s mainstream American movie.
Scott's anamorphically shot sailing film could have been wiser and more personal in the way it develops its characters. Its inherent ideals are preferable the less you contemplate them. However, I enjoyed the movie for the headlong visceral vitality and unexpected, almost incongruous humanism of its adventure.
Best watched with sound off
imdb-1197416 January 2006
As a person who knows the filmed ship and some other ships, too, I cannot see the movie as a movie, only. As a movie is has some great, wonderful shots of the ship, most of them done on an existing vessel - apart of the ones in the disaster scenes, of course, and a certain room under deck. But regarding the story and dialogs I only can call it big crap. Nothing of that would happen like this on a real sailing vessel. No wonder, the film had bad impact on the existing ship - if I didn't know better, I wasn't tempted to do a sailing voyage for sure. Definitely, for Europeans I recommend to switch off once the ship ran aground. After that, the over-emotional, very American part begins which I couldn't bear. The pics are really, really great, no wonder in a Ridley Scott film, but if you can avoid listening to the text, it will become much better.
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