★★★★★
Directed by: Dan Hartley
Written by: Liam Thomas
Starring: Francis Magee, Liam Thomas, Richard Galloway, Olwen Fouere
An emotional story about the crew of a fishing vessel.
Skipper (Magee) is the one in charge of a fishing boat named 'The Annie'. Jimmy (Thomas) and Dan (Galloway) are his two loyal crew members. Skipper has been in the fishing business for decades and has been with his boat and crew for a long time. As he is now aging and his beloved boat is showing signs of reaching the end of its use, Skipper makes a devastating decision and drowns himself in the ocean. Jimmy and Dan are deeply affected by his passing and on the day of his funeral, decide to honour his memory by making one of his wishes come true.
This short drama is beautifully shot, remarkably acted and contains themes of friendship, inner struggles, growing old, nostalgia, death, compassion and self-discovery. Thomas's screenplay is filled with moving scenes and the ending is bound to touch the viewer's heart.
Magee, Thomas and Galloway deliver emotional performances as individuals who are each dealing with their own personal issues. They are good people and care for one another.
As the director, Hartley does a fantastic job and creates wonderful establishing shots that capture the beauty of the surrounding locations and the cinematography by Adam Lyons looks amazing.
The score is one of the film's strongest aspects and adds significant value. Howard Carter's outstanding music creates quite a dramatic atmosphere. Carter also developed the sound design and did a fantastic job, which includes making the sound of waves mesmerizing.
As the narrative evolves around the lives of fishermen, it provides an insight into the life of those who work in that industry by showing piscators doing their job such as working on their boat, cleaning fish and spending a great deal of time at sea.
The Tide is a powerful and emotional film. It suggests that sometimes life can be very tough, but it also demonstrates the significance of support and respect.
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