True Spirit currently holds a 73 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score of 82 percent.
After setting sail early in the movie, viewers are introduced to the dangers of traveling alone at sea as Jessica totals her boat in a freak accident off the coast of Australia. Her first attempt tests her mettle as she straps herself to bed for a nap, only to wake when her boat collides with a tanker, a mistake her father almost forces her to cancel the entire trip over. Who can blame him? If you can’t withstand a night at sea 20 miles off the coast, how are you going to sail around the world?
True Spirit is a story filled with inspiration, though the writing suffers from one-liners and plot devices from the 90s at times. Despite this, the stakes are real, and credible, with a few particularly compelling and life-threatening in the eye of a storm; submerged and unable to call for help, all appears lost to the sea, including Jessica.
Nonetheless, as fans of Jessica Watson already know, she thankfully pulls through. Though a scare off the coast of Tasmania, just miles from the finish line, almost prevents her from wrapping up the journey (and escaping with her life).
True Spirit
True Spirit: Based on a true story
At 16, Watson set her sights on a new record: to be the youngest person to sail around the globe alone (the previous was held by a 17-year-old boy). Faced with a pernicious press in Australia who continuously question whether she has the chops to pull off the record-setting voyage, Watson and her trainer managed to shock the world on May 15, 2010, three days before her 17th birthday.
True Spirit was produced by Jessica Watson and documents her experiences and trials on the open sea.
How was Teagan Croft as the main character in True Spirit?
Teagan Croft portrays Jessica Watson in her first leading role in a feature film. She has the proper appearance, looks similar to Jessica, and fits her personality and attitude throughout the film.
The only moments where Teagan appears to struggle is with lines that, as mentioned above, sometimes feel pulled out of a late 20th-century rom-com. And that’s not a knock on the writers. Directed and produced by Jessica Watson herself, we have to believe much of what was in the script was based on her actual experiences. And for whatever reason, family bickering and yelling into the wind, “give me a break!” doesn’t work on screen sometimes – though it doesn’t take anything away from the film, the writers, or Jessica.
About the other cast members
Of course, the real standouts in the film are veterans Anna Paquin (X-Men, The Irishman) and Cliff Curtis (Training Day, Avatar: The Way of Water), as Jessica’s trainer.
Anna Paquin and Josh Lawson (Mortal Kombat, Long Story Short) stand in as her mother and father, two excellent performers who have spent decades in the game. Lawson is the concerned father who attempts to persuade her out of it, while the more convincing Anna Paquin is the super-supportive mother who adores and knows her daughter’s tenacity and spirit.
Throughout the film, her parents’ sanity is called into question by the media, but the film glosses over whether the decision was appropriate or not, focusing instead on the antagonistic obsession the Australian press have with Jessica and her family.
Cliff Curtis is always great, but Anna Paquin does a little better with the script, pouring her heart into scenes with real stakes (despite the dialogue). Honestly, watching Paquin turn the lines she has into silver-screen gold is impressive; some of these performers are really miracle workers that go uncredited for picking up the slack when the narrative is on a hamster wheel.
Does True Spirit capture Watson’s grit?
Jessica Watson is among the rarest of personality types: instantly accessible and likable, she’s a heroic character whose achievements are unlikely to be rivaled. That’s a difficult mix to capture on film. Nonetheless, Sarah Spillane and Teagan Croft have nailed the adventurer’s tale with all of its perplexing realism and existential thrill intact. True Spirit not only honors her maritime achievements, but also the legacy she has left behind.
True Spirit has a projected audience score of 76 from Streaming This Weekend.
True Spirit: Stream it or skip it
True Spirit is a winner for individuals who enjoy sailing films or true stories about grit and achievement. For the most part, the film stays away from self-praise, instead focusing on the challenges any human would have to overcome to pull off a stunt like this, with no support close enough to make a difference should things go south.
If you enjoy ocean-based cinematography, this is a must-see. I adore all of the images of Jessica alone with her boat in the middle of the ocean, whether it’s against a sunset, adjacent to a pod of dolphins, or the night sky before a storm. This was a spiritual experience for Jessica. Out to sea for over 200 days, Watson doesn’t break; a True Spirit unafraid to chase her dreams.
“Confronting a storm is like fighting God. All the powers in the universe seem to be against you and, in an extraordinary way, your irrelevance is at the same time both humbling and exalting.” – Francis LeGrande
True Spirit is now streaming on Netflix.