The Impossible- Review

Last weekend my intention was to watch Les Miserable but I ended up watching The Impossible due to a time mix up. I have never been a fan of watching traumatic true stories at the cinema, paying to watch what  others experienced just feels slightly uncomfortable to me, however the outcome usually enables me to put my own life into perspective which this film certainly did amongst other things.

The Impossible is one family’s account of the 2004 Tsunami that struck South-West Asia on Boxing Day. Henry Bennett, played by Ewan McGregor is a British businessman working in Japan, his wife Maria (Naomi Watts) is a temporarily retired Doctor and they, along with their three children  spend Christmas at a Luxury resort in Thailand.   All is well until the unexpected happens. 

Over the course of the film we see the destruction, devastation, fear, bereavement and the unfathomable. The film captures some horrific moments which will touch you in numerous ways. I cried at various points for different reasons and nearly vomited at the graphic sight of another.

As the topic of the film is evident the story moves quickly and the acting gets better throughout. The pace slows down just after the Tsunami hits causing the viewer to stay with every moment. They had nowhere to hide and neither do we. The family is split up. Are the other members dead or alive? Would you go back and search for your missing family or would you get to safety first? This family made certain choices, choices that I looking in couldn’t make, but they were forced to.  Along the way we see how other people react and cope with the same situation they are in. The opportunity to be kind seems to be at the bottom of the priority when fear and desperation are involved; however there were a couple of moments where this existed. Simple, beautiful and magnified due the circumstances.

We also see the other difficulties that would be present when such atrocities take place, such as a missing, survivors and deceased list, medical supplies, beds, access to phones, food, water and the ability to successfully communicate if you do not speak the same language. 

All the members survived and found each other but it is how they came together that is truly amazing and beautifully told. Miracles happen. There were signs which they followed.  I guess we only need to have faith, openness and to follow what we see, without involving the mind.

Before the credits rolled up a picture of the real family came up...

Philip French a journalist for The Guardian wrote in his review “In fact the real family were Spanish the Alvarez Belóns, whose story has been transformed into an English-speaking one, designed for worldwide acceptance. The final credits are prefaced by a photo of the Alvarez Belóns, smiling for the camera, dark-haired and good-looking, and physically not much like the fair-haired Bennetts”.

This has been promoted as a true story, which it is however it is not authentically true, how can it be? If you are going to call something true then personally I would like to see that you have worked at being as close to it as possible, they usually do, for example Meryl Streep played Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, 

Source: The Australian

and more recently we see Daniel Day Lewis in the likeness of President Lincoln for the film Lincoln.

Source: The Gothamist

Perhaps true authenticity is for historical figures only? Please do not get me wrong I am merely asking for a likeness. Sergio G Sánchez scripted The Impossible and Juan Antonio Bayona directed it. I do not know who had the final say regarding the cast but if the decision was made because they thought Caucasian actors would enable the story to crossover better for “worldwide acceptance” then I'm afraid they have not only insulted the audience but also the power of universal themes and emotions that see no colour and will always resonate because we are human beings.  This is a continuing discussion for  Hollywood and its decision makers. 

© Lisa Bent 2013