All Is Lost (2013)

Directed by J. C. Chandor; produced by Neal Dodson, Anna Gerb, Justin Nappi, Teddy Schwarzman

An old man (Robert Redford) wakes in his ocean-going 40-foot sailboat to find that while asleep, his vessel has collided with an adrift shipping container. The hole in the boat’s hull is the start of an eight-day ordeal for the sailor, testing his endurance and resourcefulness, all of which may not be enough to survive.

Unique among movies I have watched, All Is Lost is the only one with just one character, one actor. Redford must carry this film, and it says much for his ability, and that of the director, that he does. This is the greater praise for Redford being a player for whom I don’t have an affinity. He strikes me as always having been aloof in his performances, and has, in my opinion, rarely created sympathetic characters, the sort you can like. Unlike other ‘stars’, leading men such as Paul Newman or Brad Pitt, who often come across as likeable, people with whom one might want to be friends, Redford’s roles are of people whom you may wish to have on your side, but wouldn’t really want to spend time with.

Here, however, that quality works in the movie’s favour. Alone in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Redford’s character, unnamed but listed in the credits as ‘Our Man’, has no reason to be ingratiating. He doesn’t try to communicate to anyone except when he sees passing ships; otherwise, he has no one with whom to interact.

Nonetheless, there is communication. It would be a poor actor and director whose movie is devoid of it. I have read other reviews stating that the audience learns nothing of the sailor. I wonder if the reviewers in question think about the films as they watch them, or even afterward. For one thing, as a preamble, before the first scene opens, we hear Redford speaking, probably a vocalisation of what he writes later; those sentences tell us much. The fact that he doesn’t look at a gift card he was given (by his family?) suggests more. He wears a wedding ring, but is sailing alone, likely around the world, and his boat is named the ‘Virginia Jean’. He is perhaps a widower. His expressions, his actions, what he does or doesn’t do, all tell us about the man. Trying to interpret such clues is part of a well-written movie’s viewing.

The writing is good, though I don’t imagine the script was very long. Despite the short recitation at the start and an obscenity shouted in despair two thirds of the way through (the manner in which it is issued also says something about the man), All Is Lost is pretty much a silent movie. The sort of film it is probably dictated more than a little improvisation.

The story, I suspect, presents most of the flaws in All Is Lost. There are a number of actions and omissions by the sailor which were probably viewed with frustration and incredulity by real-life seamen. If I had more nautical knowledge, I might have as much negativity to write about in this review as I do in regard to historical or war movies. But I can review only what I know. The little of which I am aware in terms of sailing did lead me to question some things, such as the man’s attempts to patch his hull, or his full rig of sails in a storm.

The direction provides plenty of excitement and tension. Storms cannot be avoided by the character, especially in the second half of the film, when he has no power over his own navigation. Redford clearly did some of his own stunts, particularly those in the water, remarkable for a man 77 years old at the time. As well, the less obvious qualities of the direction allow the viewer to understand reasons and thoughts without having them spoken. This is critical in an almost wordless movie.

Regardless of its problems - and this is not a perfect movie - All Is Lost is riveting, with excellent photography and acting. Perhaps the worst element is the title: whether the story ends well or poorly for ‘Our Man’ - and I won’t write which it does - the title will likely turn away many viewers who, even if they can tolerate a sad finale, don’t want to be burdened by a pessimistic film. Ignore the name, then, and think of All Is Lost as a perfect candidate for the title The Old Man and the Sea - if that hadn’t already been taken.