Although this movie grew on me, I gotta admit that it took it's very very slow time to get there. While the topic of Olympians getting the shaft when the whole 1984 Moscow Olympics happened is a largely ignored subject (which is surprising), but let's hope a better film comes of it than Rowing Through, a film that knows it's way around rowing, but becomes largely muddled when it tries to deal with. Large lug Tiff Wood, played by Colin Ferguson has a dream to compete in the Olympics, but those dreams are shattered when the Moscow thing happened. (Hilariously, a huge press conference happens, with everyone wanting his opinion about this, but I mean, who gives 2 bits about a rower??). He then has two wait 4 years until the next one comes along, which of course, is a lifetime to an athlete. There's always a new whelp looking to take your place. So he has to train that more harder. Between his workouts, he's shuffling relationships around, and dealing with male relationships as well, as the U.S. rowing team comes together, the stresses of competition for a spot becomes a challenge as well. As I said, the film is the bomb with the rowing scenes. The director knew his way around a boat it seems, and I liked the many angles the camera took when shooting this (this film did go on to win a well deserved Genie for Cinematography). But it's too bad he didn't have a clue what to do with humans. Filled with supporting characters we don't really care about (who the heck IS Polar Bear anyways?) and throwaway relationships, this film reaches it's curious peak when it flirts with a homoerotic overtoned scene, but I doubt the director caught on to what was happening, and the film limps along after that.
Review of Rowing Through
