All Is Lost

A man alone. A man alone in a boat. A man alone in a boat on the sea. A man alone in a boat on the sea with problems.

No back up. No supporting actors. No lines to learn.

That's the good part.

The boat hits a floating object. Hole in hull. What to do?

Robert Redford is the man. He's older now. He sets to work repairing the damage. The weather turns nasty.

He's wet. He's wet all over. He can't remember what it feels like to be dry. Big ships pass. No one looks; no one sees him.

You want to say, "Listen, Bob. Tell that director chappie to stop torturing you. We've had enough of storms. Let's patch up and go home."

It is difficult to know to whom this film is aimed. Yachtsmen who have been in dodgier situations? It is a lesson in fortitude and ingenuity, stiff lipped and stress related. Let's watch this senior citizen battle the elements and save his skin with sticking plaster.

When there were three men in a boat everyone had a laugh. One man in a boat is too serious for jokes. Of course, it is the Indian Ocean rather than a river in England. No buttered scones and chilled Pimms for Bob. He's on survival rations. And so are you.

Bring wellies and a good book.