Review of Turning Tide (2013) by Sarfaraz A — 19 May 2014

Turning Tide (En Solitaire) - French-Belgian-Spanish drama, co-written and directed by Christophe Offenstein (Blood Ties - his debut-directorial and formerly Director-of-Photography). Starring Francois Cluzet (The Intouchables), Samy Seghir and Virginie Efira. Its budget include 17 million ($23 million) Euro co-production.

Film opens with gala moment celebrated inside the studio, from where the crew talk via Skype to Yann Kermadec (Cluzet). Yann is in his 40s a man of demeanor - he's partaking in global Vendée Globe yacht-race - participating and sailing his brother-in-law's yacht (who for some accident could not do it himself - and Yann is thankful to him for this accident, he tells him). Yacht is solar-powered and extremely hi-tech, with different navigational gadgets, laptops, iPads, Wi-Fi - usually remains in contac with his little daughter and love-interest Marie (Virginie Efira - Belgian actress).

Yann wants to break the records of others, and be the first to lead the group of sailors (each yacht with single captain only). After some damage to his rudder nearby 'Canary Island', Yann anchors for two days to fix it all by himself - when he's set to go, on the way he notices a 16-year old Mauritanian boy Mano (Seghir) who snuck onto the boat near Canary Island. Yann becomes panicked and worries about his disqualification. He scolds and briefly manhandles the little boy, but somehow let it be that way. He constantly asks him to remain inside the boat so not to be spotted by others.

Yann is notified via link that an accident has occurred nearby and that he should go and check on the captain of the boat. He rescues a woman-sailor (Karine Vanasse) from England - from whom Yann hides the secret about Mano, but then decides that it would be quite impracticable to sail on ship for two days and not notice it. Karine befriends the boy and on her departure, she requests Yann to look after the boy. Gradually the two bond friendship, after Yann finds out that he's got Anemia. What follows next, is great expedition to sail through.

I cannot believe that this film has not been reviewed by some critics, and somehow it has gone overlooked (as most of the likes do usually). Turning Tide is another addition to the movies set on 'at the waters' - a remarkable photography and breathtaking ocean waves. While the film also drags us onto the soil to get us acquainted with the characters who belong to Yann's life - possibly his daughter, love-interest and the crew he's been in contact with. Unnecessarily this might not have had the same altitude that you should seek, but nevertheless the film does offer 'hilarious scenes', 'dramatic-lines' and 'adventurous thrills'. So go ahead if you want to see the waters from French perspective.