George Clooney's 'The Boys in the Boat': A Cheesy Sports Flick or a Sweet Adaptation?

George Clooney's "The Boys in the Boat" is a conventional sports saga based on a true story, following the University of Washington rowing team's journey to win the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics. While the film hits some feel-good notes, it also falls into clichés and ham-fisted pronouncements, detracting from its intended lyricism. The characters are mostly one-dimensional, and the film's attempts at mythologizing often come across as cloying. Despite its flaws, the movie celebrates meritocracy and the American Dream, presenting hard work and persistence as the keys to overcoming adversity.