'Fantastic' feel good period drama but fans only have days to watch on BBC

George Clooney’s 2023 directorial, The Boys in the Boat, is a biographical sports drama based on the eponymous 2013 Daniel James Brown book. With a screenplay penned by Mark L. Smith and produced by Clooney himself, the period drama had its world premiere in Los Angeles in December 2023 and received a theatrical release shortly thereafter.

Grossing approximately $55 million, The Boys in the Boat received mixed reviews from critics upon its release but proved to be a success with the audiences. While the film has a 57 per cent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, in sharp contrast, the audience rating stands at a smashing 96 per cent.

Bringing the inspiring true story of the University of Washington's underdog rowing team to the screen, The Boys in the Boat centres around the team’s determined coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton) and master boatbuilder George Pocock (Peter Guinness), who along with the rest of the team, overcame personal hardships and economic class struggles during the Great Depression to compete in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The film is currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer till June 15.

While on one hand, some critics were all praise for the film’s director: “George Clooney’s disarmingly old-school rowing movie gets it right.”

Some were not as impressed: “It’s time to ask the question, “Is there any genre that George Clooney can’t direct … badly?”

Another reviewer said of the film: “The Boys in the Boat is an old-fashioned and solid historical biography that ticks a lot of the right boxes. It’s not going to set tongues wagging but what it does do is tell an inspiring story with polish and a deftness befitting the genre.”

While one said: “Clooney just doesn't tell us enough about either the boys or the boat.”

And one even-handed review of the movie says: “A film that often feels like one has walked into an oil painting: well-crafted, lovely to look at, and rather old-fashioned.”

When it came to audience reviews of the film, praise ran abound, with one viewer saying: “Movies based on a true story are my favorite. George Clooney in my opinion did an awesome job. The cast was great. The races on the water were filmed phenomenally exciting!! This movie got an applause from all who watched it in the theater!!!”

Another viewer gushed over the film and revealed the impact it had on them: “I love the historical drama genre. I've seen this movie 3 times in one year. It's so good and inspiring. George Clooney is a really good director. The actors did an amazing job. The first time I watched this was right before the Paris Olympics started, which made me want to watch the rowers during the actual Olympics.”

While one viewer felt it was: “A truly inspiring story while still being entertaining. The historical context is accurate, and the casting is phenomenal. Feels like you’re watching a true Hollywood film, which is rare these days. Definitely recommend!”

One audience review stated: “Excellent movie! Especially knowing that this happened in real life. It is very inspiring, and very well done. I highly recommend seeing this film!”. Another called it a “brilliant film” with a “fantastic feel good factor”.

And one viewer summed up the reason behind the movie’s sky-high audience rating: “We laughed, we cried, we clapped and cheered while watching The Boys in the Boat. Well done George Clooney.”

The Boys in the Boat is leaving BBC iPlayer on June 16.