FISH OUT OF WATER

Australia, 2019, 75 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Israel Cannan.

This documentary is available on Stan.

Interesting title. The two central characters for this documentary spend most of their time on the water – but it is not always their natural habitat.

Don Quixote might have sung The Impossible Dream, as might many of us. However, living the dream is quite another matter. As we see in this film.

Pete Fletcher and Tom Hudson are Melburnians, Pete Fletcher is living on the Mornington Peninsula. Pete has been in business but, in midlife, has been having his recurring impossible dream. It involves the water. Tom Hudson, on the other hand, water was not part of his original dream.

And, the dream? To row from New York to London, the two of them in their boat, crossing the Atlantic. Rowing was not part of their way of life but, as they say, dreams…, challenges… And the concern whether the dream would ever be fulfilled.

We are introduced to the two of them at home and at work. They co-produced this documentary as well as contributing the footage from the Atlantic voyage. We see a lot of them, at home, going over to New York, the preparation for the trip, the boat, provisions (and a bit of learning about sea craft). There is a countdown to the days that they will leave.

There is also the human touch and including scenes with wives and families.

The film is a mixture of surprise and no surprise. We know that the film will end with their getting to England, in Falmouth (instead of the intended London). In fact, we will be told that they have broken the rowing record across the Atlantic. But, of course, the surprise is in the day by day of the voyage, surprises which they had to live through. Needless to say, there were difficulties, almost in possibilities – but, to experience them, is the point of watching the film.

There have been a number of films about single-handed sailors, most recently starring Colin Firth as Donald Crowhurst in The Mercy.

Tribute needs to be made to the director, Israel Cannan, who is credited as writer, director, producer, composer, editor. (A quick look at the IMDb tells us that he also appeared in episodes of Home and Away – but, significantly, sings the title song! It looks as though he has achieved some of his impossible dreams.)

Obviously a film for those with a keen interest in sailing.