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True Spirit PG
Mild themes

The story of Australian teenager, Jessica Watson, the youngest person ever to sail solo, non-stop around the world.

The movie True Spirit is out on Netflix but it is also showing in 24 cinemas across Australia. The reviews I have read are not that flash, but I will definitely be seeing it.

Watched it a couple of days ago mainly because a lot of it was shot in around where my boat is .
Its a feel good movie for the general public and acknowledgement of JWs
accomplishment. Storm sequences are a bit much but if your not a boatie who cares .

Yes watched it last night. The storm sequences were a worry, particularly the capsize scene. But all up, I enjoyed the story.

I'm planning on watching it tomorrow at Shellharbour.

Is this a new movie or the one Jessica released after she completed her circumnavigation?

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Jolene said..
Is this a new movie or the one Jessica released after she completed her circumnavigation?

This is a movie with actors based on her book. Lots of CGI, bad acting and general movie stuff for entertainment.

I have experienced knock downs but never an inversion. Some interesting comments by JW ,after the movie was released .
'"There were seven knockdowns," Watson reveals. "Not all of them were quite that bad. A lot of the time, it's just the boat being knocked over. But the 15 ft. underwater is real because my emergency beacon did self-activate as the boat sank. That happened. But the time I was upside down for, it certainly felt like a long time. I haven't really got a concept of how long it was in reality, but we are talking seconds compared to what we see in the movie, which stretches on forever in minutes and minutes and minutes. That's a little bit of an exaggeration there, but it was real to the experience of it feeling like forever."

I watched it last night with my wife. Pretty average but I did watch it all the way through and it was nice that there was some real footage at the end.
Can't remember exactly what the hell I was doing in 2010 but I have no recollection of it at all until it came to my notice a few years ago. Probably fighting my ex-wife for custody of my kids and involved in a financial life or death court battle.
Probably the best value was awakening my interest and getting me googling her and associated people.
There was a 13 year old Dutch girl Laura Dekker planning on a circumnavigation at the same time who was prevented a couple of years earlier by authorities making her a ward of the state but she subsequently overcame that and circumnavigated in a different fashion (still unassisted) but making a number of stops to see the world. Substantially younger than Jessica- not to take away anything from Jessica and a non-stop circumnavigation.
Plan to watch her real doco style movie "Maiden trip" on Prime.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Dekker

Watched the movie on a big screen at Shellharbour this morning. I have to say the movie was a lot better than I expected after some of the reviews I have read. The acting was fine and the CGI was not over the top. They did a good job replicating Pink Lady. I read Jessica's blogs and watched all the videos at the time and like a lot of people followed the excellent thread on Sailing Anarchy! Of course I bought her first book which was pretty much the same as the blog.
Only a few small things I found annoying. You don't catch snapper mid ocean on a troll line! Jessica made the comment after she saw the movie how well they got stuff right, sourcing the right instruments from the period, even had the right stuffed toys. But I was disappointed they used the wrong brand sails. How hard would it be to put Ullman sail logos on? The movie boat had Doyles and at the end when they showed the real footage the Ullman sails still looked good! The CGI section during the storm had a weird looking storm staysail that could have been better.
I would recommend everyone view the movie.
My favourite photo taken just South of Tasmania.

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Ramona said..
Watched the movie on a big screen at Shellharbour this morning. I have to say the movie was a lot better than I expected after some of the reviews I have read. The acting was fine and the CGI was not over the top. They did a good job replicating Pink Lady. I read Jessica's blogs and watched all the videos at the time and like a lot of people followed the excellent thread on Sailing Anarchy! Of course I bought her first book which was pretty much the same as the blog.
Only a few small things I found annoying. You don't catch snapper mid ocean on a troll line! Jessica made the comment after she saw the movie how well they got stuff right, sourcing the right instruments from the period, even had the right stuffed toys. But I was disappointed they used the wrong brand sails. How hard would it be to put Ullman sail logos on? The movie boat had Doyles and at the end when they showed the real footage the Ullman sails still looked good! The CGI section during the storm had a weird looking storm staysail that could have been better.
I would recommend everyone view the movie.
My favourite photo taken just South of Tasmania.

This reminded me of Abby Sunderlands ill fated attempt on Wild Eyes, an Open 40. Mebbe it's just me but I couldn't help but think Abby's trip was in stark contrast to Jessica's. I think she pushed off too soon as she was younger than Jess W and they wanted the 'record' of youngest around. I didn't trust her parents motivation and she appeared terrified of the boats power most of the time. I remember the image of her departure when the camera showed a dozen or more fuel containers lashed loosely together in the cockpit and visualising what carnage they would cause in the first nasty sea state.
Thankfully the gods were smiling on her and it mercifully came to an end in the Indian Ocean somewhere with her successful rescue.
Chalk and cheese.

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Ramona said..

My favourite photo taken just South of Tasmania.

I believe your favourite photo was taken when she was almost back in Sydney, she was asked to kill some time.

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shaggybaxter said..

This reminded me of Abby Sunderlands ill fated attempt on Wild Eyes..

Chalk and cheese.

Yes and the yacht was found floating around Kangaroo Island over 8 years later. Good lesson for why abandoned yachts should have their sea cocks opened and be sunk rather than presenting shipping hazards 4 years afterwards.

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julesmoto said..
I watched it last night with my wife. Pretty average but I did watch it all the way through and it was nice that there was some real footage at the end.
Can't remember exactly what the hell I was doing in 2010 but I have no recollection of it at all until it came to my notice a few years ago. Probably fighting my ex-wife for custody of my kids and involved in a financial life or death court battle.
Probably the best value was awakening my interest and getting me googling her and associated people.
There was a 13 year old Dutch girl Laura Dekker planning on a circumnavigation at the same time who was prevented a couple of years earlier by authorities making her a ward of the state but she subsequently overcame that and circumnavigated in a different fashion (still unassisted) but making a number of stops to see the world. Substantially younger than Jessica- not to take away anything from Jessica and a non-stop circumnavigation.
Plan to watch her real doco style movie "Maiden trip" on Prime.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Dekker

Great movie/docco, Maiden Trip. Well worth watching and no cgi or bad sailing scenes. Laura was a very good sailer from a very early age and worked hard herself to make the voyage happen.

Those interested in Jessica Watson's circumnavigation should buy her DVD "True spirit" and not waste their money on the Netflix Psychological operation with the same name.
I gave up on it when I saw them fixing the demasted boat.

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Jolene said..
Those interested in Jessica Watson's circumnavigation should buy her DVD "True spirit" and not waste their money on the Netflix Psychological operation with the same name.
I gave up on it when I saw them fixing the demasted boat.

Best to watch both. True Spirit is OK for the amount of money they had in the budget.

I had a bit part in her planning. When her team realised how big a reception they were to expect back in Sydney they contacted me through the S&S34 Association to help find the best place for her to dock on arrival. Morning Bird was in Sydney getting work done so we checked a few options around the harbour. I recall looking at Darling Harbour and the overseas terminal but the Opera House wharf was best, they just had to put an additional floating jetty there as the S&S34 wouldn't be able to come alongside the original wharf.
I met Jessica at the Boat Show, I think it was before she sailed but maybe after, and I was impressed with her. She was very young, nervous and being dyslexic not good at giving a speech but she answered peoples questions really well. I had a good look at Pink Lady and did a few of the mods she had like the inner stay for the stormsail.
The movie was fine, it is a movie not a factual documentary. The pitchpole and submersion was way over the top but apart from that it gave a reasonable view of her story.

We just watched the movie as a family and enjoyed it. It was also great to hear the shouts from my 11yr old daughter during the storm scenes of 'use your Lee cloth' and 'secure for sea' and other bits of advice.

A feel good flick that was well worthwhile and surprisingly welled up emotions.

I watched this just yesterday. I was avoiding it assuming it would either be a documentary style (not interested in) or cringe Australian rubbish.

Take the movie for what it is - a small budget feel good movie that was only intended for the those with a passing interest. The storm scene in the Southern Ocean was a little 'perfect storm' dramatic and I am sure most of us here have experienced a situation where time seemed to lag on forever.

I was desperate for something to watch, but I surprisingly really enjoyed it.