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PEOPLE & ARTSSaturday 12 December 2015
Review: Ron Howard’s ‘In the Heart of the Sea’ treads water
LINDSEY BAHR real expedition that in-
AP Film Writer spired Herman Melville’s
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ron “Moby-Dick” that Nathan-
Howard’s “In the Heart of iel Philbrick wrote about
the Sea” is a curious beast. in his nonfiction book. But
The ambitions are as big despite a promising start,
as a whale; the results are something is lost in the
an earnest wreck. It could spectacle and the framing
possibly work if you think of device, which ultimately
the movie as a metaphor undermines its own story.
for the story it’s trying to tell, Howard uses Melville as
but that’s a little too meta a character (played by
for something that should Ben Whishaw) and his cu-
be fairly straightforward. riosity about the mysteri-
It’s ostensibly about the ous circumstances of how
This photo shows Cillian Murphy, left, as Matthew Joy and Chris Hemsworth as Owen Chase in War-
ner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ action adventure film, “In the Heart of the Sea.”
(Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)
the whaleship Essex sank cles early, bounding up a emotion. But we never re-
as the audience’s entry ladder to cut free a tangled ally care about the lead, so
into the story. He’s look- sail, and the Captain re- there’s little hope that we’ll
ing for big answers about sponds with ill-advised bra- be interested in the rest of
the unknown. So, he finds vado in leading the men the men once it becomes
Tom Nickerson (Brendan full-speed into a squall. But solely about survival.
Gleeson), the ship’s only the “who leads” question Indeed, most of the sec-
remaining survivor, who’s is abandoned quickly and ond half is spent drifting
drinking his life away. At his without much resolution with them on lifeboats. In
wife’s pleading, and Mel- once the whaling starts. these interminable minutes,
ville’s promise of generous Perhaps the most striking we don’t get anything re-
payment for one night’s scenes are those that deal sembling an understand-
conversation, Tom starts to with the process of catch- ing of how they survived (or
spill about the events of 30 ing a whale, from spearing didn’t) either mentally or
years ago, when he was 14 to the gory disemboweling. physically. Future Tom Nick-
(played by Tom Holland). But whales are scarce on erson isn’t much help ei-
It’s best not to do the math. the ship’s normal route and ther, and Melville is already
This is the story of two they must sail on to get too focused on his own lit-
men, he says: A Captain, enough oil for their bosses. erary ambitions to actually
George Pollard (Benjamin It’s thousands of miles off ask the big questions he
Walker), and his first mate, the coast of South America told us he was seeking.
Owen Chase (Chris Hems- where they encounter the “In the Heart of the Sea”
worth). Pollard is the son of big one, which locks on the tries to be about so many
the expedition’s proprietor. Essex with a Terminator’s re- things — ambition, capi-
He’s wealthy, arrogant, en- solve. talism, greed and survival.
titled and inexperienced. Hemsworth is best when In the end, it feels most in-
Chase is the real seaman he’s by himself — either terested in how Herman
— a working-class Adonis barking orders or doing Melville got his classic. The
with a classist chip on his something physical. Of all pieces are there, but ap-
broad shoulders. He’s also the actors he shares scenes parently it’s up to “Moby-
arrogant, but has the skills with, it’s Cillian Murphy as Dick” to assemble them,
to back it up. his second mate who brings not Ron Howard.q
Chase flexes his hero mus- out something resembling
Veteran ‘Today’ weatherman Willard Scott retiring
NEW YORK (AP) — With Wil- Scott delivered weather was stationed on the street
lard Scott announcing his forecasts until Al Roker took during President George
retirement, centenarians over that role. In recent H.W. Bush’s inaugural pa-
will have to look elsewhere years, he’s appeared once rade in 1989, when the new
for a salute. or twice a week to mark the first lady, Barbara Bush,
birthdays of viewers who peeled away from the
The longtime television had reached 100 years old route to give him a kiss.
weatherman, a fixture on or beyond. He began work- “America’s first family
NBC’s “Today” show for 35 ing at NBC as a 16-year- chose to single out Ameri-
years, said Friday that he’s old page in the network’s ca’s weatherman and I re-
hanging it up. The morning Washington bureau. member smiling from ear to
show plans a tribute to his The show’s anchors on Fri- ear at that moment for Wil-
work on Tuesday. day took note of a memo- lard,” said “Today” anchor
The genial 81-year-old rable Scott moment. He Matt Lauer.q
