HEART OF CHAMPIONS/ (PRESSURE POINT – Netflix title)

US, 2021, 118 minutes, Colour.

Michael Shannon, Alexandre Ludwig, Charles Melton, Alex MacNicol, David James Elliott, Ash Santos, Lili Krug, Caroline Cole.

Directed by Michael Mailer.

A film which could appeal to audiences who like sports films. In this film, rowing. (A comparison might be made with the British rowing film True Blue from the mid-1990s.).

The setting is 1999, a college in the southern states. And, there are many rowing sequences, both races and training. The initial emphasis is on the team, but, especially, one young man, Alex (Alexander Ludwig), urged on by his ambitious father, trying to qualify for the Olympics. However, another young man, John (Alex McNicol) has qualities of leadership. Amongst the other members of the team is a newcomer, on scholarship, Chris (Charles Milton), rebellious.

But, the focus of the film is very much on the new coach, Murphy. Another interesting performance from Michael Shannon, incorporating the toughness but with much more humanity. He is a Vietnam veteran, was a member of the college team with Alex’s father and others who went to Vietnam and died. This is a significant background to the tensions for the coach and is working with the crew.

Incorporated into the sports training in action are a number of love stories, one with racial complications, another with academic ambitions.

The film was directed by Michael Mailer, son of novelist Norman Mailer.

1. The title? The emphasis on champions? Competitiveness and sport and pressure point?
2. 1999, Ivy League college, the campus, rooms, socials, the rowing headquarters, scenes on the river? The musical score?
3. Audience interest in the sport of rowing, the oarsman, the coxswain, the leader, teamwork, working in unison, gliding over the water, competitiveness? Rowing in American colleges?
4. The introduction to the team, the individuals, the race, difficulties within the team, losing? Their status in the college? The discussions with the College principal, with Singleton and his influence, the employment of coach Murphy?
5. Coach Murphy, personality, the past of the college, with Singleton, with Davenport, the Vietnam war, Murphy and his experience, trying to save lives, the aftermath of the war?
6. Coach Murphy and his methods, audience interest in the methods and their effect, the men writing out why they wanted to be there, the mundane answers, eventually understanding teamwork, getting them in the water, blindfold, their feet together, the experiences of learning teamwork? Resistance?
7. The members of the team, the leadership exercised by John, the haughtiness of Alex, expectations of his father, pressure from his father, intervening, his hopes for Olympic training, his choices and mistakes, Murphy taking him down, appointing John as leader? The list in the rowing headquarters, the jerseys, the spirit?
8. Chris Davenport, his background, surly, the scholarship, individualist, his attitude towards Murphy, contradict him, the friendship with John, with the rest of the team? His resentment towards Murphy?
9. The romantic background, Sara, the past with Alex, the relationship with John, together with him, eventually his proposing? Nisha, her reaction to Chris, the flowers and card, then meeting, Shakespeare, together, the sexual relationship, her future, the clashes with Chris, the break up? Lili, the dance, with Alex? Returning to the rooms, Alex and his finding Sarah, sick, drunk, on the bed, his lying there with her, deceiving John? The consequences, John and his drinking, rage, throwing the jerseys into the water, the confrontation with Alex, the fight, the police, going into the water, Alex searching, Chris diving in, John’s death, the funeral, the aftermath with Alex and his father?
10. Alex, unlikable, presumption, pressure from his father, with the other members? The beginning of change, concessions to John, yet his behaviour leading to John’s death?
11. The success of the team, together, ready to row, their winning? The final race, the dance, John’s death, the funeral, the aftermath, their being urged to row in honour of John? Murphy’s dismissal? His watching the race? Their efforts, Chris and his leadership, shutting their eyes, winning?
12. Audience response to the sport sequences? To the background of romance sequences?