Terry Hunter reviews NYAD

Updated: Nov. 26, 2023 at 12:35 PM HST
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NYAD, a Netflix movie starring Annette Benning and Jodie Foster, is based on the true story of Diana Nyad, the 64 year old woman who swam the 110 miles from Cuba to Florida in just under 53 hours. It’s impressive film that’s not easy to watch. Annette Benning, as the marathon swimmer, and Jodie Foster, as her coach and best friend, give stand out performances. But the character of Diana Nyad is hard to like. She’s arrogant, obnoxious and masochistic. It’s torturous watching her suffer and almost die in several painful attempts to achieve her impossible dream. The film is supposed to inspire us to never give up on our dreams. Instead, I wondered why anyone would be willing suffer so much extreme pain and the very real risk of dying with so little chance of succeeding. Fortunately, her final triumph is a sweet and thrilling relief. But what makes NYAD worth watching is the strong friendship of these two amazing women and especially Bonnie’s fierce loyalty to Diana. (Netflix only)