Directed by George Clooney from a screenplay by Mark L. Smith, The Boys in the Boat takes an intriguing story and somehow makes it uninteresting. The film is beautiful to look at, and Alexandre Desplat’s score is moving, but Clooney’s film doesn’t leave an impression. It’s too slow-going, and the characters lack personality, which made it hard for me to get invested in their stories. There are plenty of sports dramas, but they’re usually engaging, heartfelt, and occasionally even fun. But there’s a self-seriousness and emotional detachment that leaves the biopic struggling to make it to the finish line.
