The Swimmers
The Swimmers is streaming on Netflix at the time of writing. Rated PG-13. Common Sense says 14.
STORY: B+
The Swimmers is based on the true story of the Mardini sisters, two young Syrian women who fled all the way from their war-torn neighborhood to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Their swimming skills not only provide a key to a better life, they keep them alive on their treacherous journey.
I can’t claim this story is a masterpiece. The narrative rarely cuts through the water as gracefully as its main characters. But I also haven’t seen a film this year more inspiring than this one. Perfect story structure isn’t necessary to move people. The Swimmers’s power lies in its medley of heroic characters, meaningful stakes, and a mighty heart in the right place. This is a winning tale you won’t soon forget.
PEOPLE: B+
The Mardini sisters are played by real life sisters, the excellent Manal and Nathalie Issa. Manal’s Sara is fierce and confident. Her layered performance refuses to reveal whether her bravado is genuine or merely a veneer. That sense of mystery gives her character a complexity that fully engages you. Nathalie’s Yusra is determined and focused. One can’t help but root for her while the Syrian war wages battle against those traits and we see the toll it takes.
FILM NERD STUFF: D
This film could have been the talk of award season if not for a lack of quality in this category. As a viewer, it’s always difficult to pinpoint the precise step where the filmmaking process breaks down. My best guess is that tighter editing might have elevated this film to high art. For example, there is a scene where the girls reunite with a friend they made along their journey. The friend is waiting in a line - for what, we don’t know. The girls need to weave their way through the snaking line while apologizing to armed guards. Why? We don’t know. Where are they? It’s unclear. Too many ambiguous moments like this tear our attention away from the story. Its magic disappears like the tiny poof from a magician’s wand.
HUMANIZATION: A+
Information overload is a real thing. We can't pay attention to everything. That burden sometimes causes us to view the world in grayscale, covering uncomfortable details in a faded blur so we can get through the day. But there’s a danger in doing that. We lose sight not just of other people’s humanity, but our own.
I understand we can’t change the world by ourselves. No one person can fight climate change, solve racism, prevent gerrymandering or stop every single foreign war. But we need to remember that on the receiving end of every one of those viscous issues sits a human being.
A human being who wants a bigger allowance. A human being who very occasionally is embarrassed by her family. A human being who wants to get home to see her pet and play with her little sister. A human being who wants to stay out just a little bit later than they’re allowed to. A human being who worries about winning their swim meet.
In other words, a human being just like us. Just like you.
The Swimmers does a beautiful and necessary job representing the humanity of refugees.
FINAL COMMENTS:
Despite the narrativization of the Mardini sisters’ story, The Swimmers floats closer to Hoop Dreams than Hoosiers. It’s a testament to athleticism and the human spirit. It’s a testament to the bravery and strength of refugees everywhere, and a necessary dispel of the incorrect assumptions many people make about refugees. Everyone should see this movie.