70. The Mercy; movie review

THE MERCY
Cert 12A
102 mins
BBFC advice: Infrequent strong language

Just occasionally, Mrs W and I emerge from a cinema, unable to explain why a movie didn't grip us as much as it should have done.
Such a picture was James Marsh's The Mercy. It has a fascinating and original plotline, boasts a very decent cast and includes well-executed action sequences.
So, why didn't it leave us cursing its omittance from the Oscars? Honestly, I am struggling to put my finger on it.
The Mercy is the story of Donald Crowhurst, (Colin Firth) a struggling inventor who decides, on a whim, to enter the race to sail solo around the world without stopping.
The film is set in 1968 when heroic efforts such as his were headline news thanks to the adventures of the likes of Sir Francis Chichester and Robin Knox-Johnston.
Crowhurst, desperate for money, sets about trying to win a £5,000 first prize, thinking it will also sate his appetite for adventure.
His wife (Rachel Weisz) supports his dream without ever thinking he would go ahead with the trip - as she says: "I thought we were just building a boat."
However, by attracting a sponsor (Ken Stott) and using an aggressive publicity agent (David Thewlis), Crowhurst realises he has to match his bravado with endeavour.
He soon discovers that being alone on the seas is no holiday and that there is no chance that he can match his competition.
Marsh builds The Mercy up nicely and creates a convincing 60s backdrop (although I suspect the Sunday Times newsroom would have been bigger).
Firth also impresses in switching from devoted but excitable family man to a sailor sent mad by the loneliness of his task.
Weisz is quietly accomplished as his publicly supportive but privately anxious wife and Threwlis, despite a curiously out-of-place northern accent, is an impressively thrusting PR man.
And so, despite all of these positive elements, why weren't Mrs W and I left shattered by the experience of watching The Mercy?
It is difficult to say but it just seemed to lack a killer punch.

Reasons to watch: the gamut of emotions portrayed by Colin Firth
Reasons to avoid: doesn't ooze as much drama as we felt it should

Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 7/10

The big question - Why would anyone want to sail around the world single-handed?

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