It’s the weekend!
As a swimming enthusiast, here are Top 5 swimming films to catch up this weekend after you swim class….
- Splash
Splash is a classic 1984 American romantic comedy, starring Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah. Hanks’s character falls in love with the mysterious Hannah, who is secretly a mermaid, after getting knocked out in an accident and falling into the ocean. The movie then goes on with the mermaid saving Tom Hanks’ character, but he doesn’t know it until she tries to find him. We watch as the mermaid’s true identity is kept secret, but how long can she keep it that way? Find out what happens in this feel-good love story.
- Soul Surfer
Soul Surfer is an Inspirational true story of Bethany Hamilton, a competitive surfer who lost an arm in a shark attack in her early teens. Despite her injury, she was determined to return to competitive surfing. True to that, she was back on a surfboard a month after the incident and has since won many championships as a professional surfer at the young age of 21. This film brings us through her recovery and rehabilitation, allowing us to witness the resilience that Bethany possesses.
- Unfiltered
Unfiltered was aired in 2005 and is a film that sheds light into the lives of two elite athletes –– Michael Phelps and Ian Crocker. Phelps is known to be the greatest swimmer of all time, but this movie reveals to us that he has not always won every single major race. In his path, Phelps encountered a loss at the 2003 World Championships in the 100m butterfly to Crocker, breaking his record. To fight back, Phelps achieved a gold at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, re-establishing his throne. This film reveals to us how both swimmers have had to deal with their own struggles outside the pool.
- On a Clear Day
In the beginning of this film, we witness the Protagonist of this movie, Frank Redmond, is laid off from his job and spirals into depression. However, Frank starts to pick up swimming and one day, he impulsively swims the River Clyde. Afterwards, he decides that he wants to swim the English Channel to prove to himself that there is still meaning in his life. Whether Frank succeeds or not, you will have to discover it for yourself by watching the film. It is through this film that one can see the value of swimming, in improving mental health and providing comfort. So if you’re ever stressed, why not try out swimming?
- The Big Bad Swim
This 2006 film won the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (Winner Best American Independent Film) follows the story of a group of Connecticut locals who are enrolled in an adult beginner swim class. Depressed instructor Noah, who is a former Olympian, manages to bring hope to the students as they learn to swim. As the lessons progress, three strangers find themselves entering deep water while they learn that swimming, just like life, isn’t always about diving in, but rather, it’s about getting your feet wet occasionally.
