Adrift

Shailene Woodley delivers a passionate performance here as a young woman stranded at sea for over 40 days. Putting heart and soul into her performance, Woodley mixes anguish with enormous inner strength as her character tries to keep herself and her fiancé (Sam Claflin) alive. As well as battling the elements, the talented stars are fighting against an uneven story that shifts back and forth in time, preventing the tension at sea from building as much as it could. Nevertheless, Woodley and Claflin display a wonderful chemistry that makes their fight for survival compelling, and while the flashbacks are occasionally jarring, they do add something fascinating to Woodley's personal struggle. There is also no doubting the peril they are in, thanks to gorgeous cinematography and a harrowing storm sequence. Emotionally charged and skilfully presented by director Baltasar Kormakur (The Deep, Everest), Adrift takes you on a powerful journey that overcomes the flaws of the script.