The Perfect Storm (2000)

Director:

Wolfgang Petersen

Writers (WGA):

Sebastian Junger (book)
William D. Wittliff (screenplay)

Release Date:

30 June 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Action | Thriller

Tagline:

In the Fall of 1991, the "Andrea Gail" left Gloucester, Mass. and headed for the fishing grounds of the North Atlantic. Two weeks later, an event took place that had never occurred in recorded history.

Plot:

An unusually intense storm pattern catches some commercial fishermen unaware and puts them in mortal danger.

Plot Keywords:

Storm | Fishing | Ice | Sea | Fishing Boat

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

George Clooney	...	Captain Billy Tyne
Mark Wahlberg	...	Bobby Shatford
Diane Lane	...	Christina Cotter
John C. Reilly	...	Dale 'Murph' Murphy
William Fichtner	...	David 'Sully' Sullivan
John Hawkes	...	Mike 'Bugsy' Moran
Allen Payne	...	Alfred Pierre
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio	...	Linda Greenlaw
Karen Allen	...	Melissa Brown
Cherry Jones	...	Edie Bailey
Bob Gunton	...	Alexander McAnally III
Christopher McDonald	...	Todd Gross
Michael Ironside	...	Bob Brown
Rusty Schwimmer	...	Irene 'Big Red' Johnson
Janet Wright	...	Ethel Shatford

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language and scenes of peril.

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX | SDDS (8 channels) | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Malaysia:U | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:B | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #37526) | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Dana Point, California, USA

Company:

Baltimore Spring Creek Productions

Trivia:

Three days of exterior shots were filmed on the edge of Hurricane Floyd for the early portions of the storm.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the later storm sequences in the pilot house of the Andrea Gail (after the windows are broken out), notice that water droplets falling from overhead continue to fall vertically with the pull of gravity, thus revealing that the camera was tilted and the actors were leaning to heighten the appearance of rough seas.

Quotes:

[Bob Brown enters the tavern to see everyone looking at him with blank faces]
Ethel Shatford: If it was good news, he would've called us.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dawson's Creek: Two Gentlemen of Capeside (#4.3)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Man in the Box

"Perfect Storm," Perfect Movie

Based on a true story, and dedicated to ten thousand Gloucestermen lost at sea since 1623, `The Perfect Storm' is a powerful movie that will take you places to which you've never been before. Director Wolfgang Peterson has deftly crafted an intense rendering of the story of the Andrea Gail, a swordfishing boat captained by Billy Tyne that left Gloucester, Massachusetts, in the fall of 1991, and soon encountered the storm of the century. After a less than profitable trip out, Captain Tyne (George Clooney) sets out again in October, with a crew of five men, and heads for deep water and a place know as the `Flemish Cap.' It's a dangerous trek for that time of year, but he assures his men that the catch will be worth the risk. What he could not foresee, however (nor could any meteorologist), was that three major storms would converge to form a single storm, the likes of which comes along only once in every one hundred years or so. Fate steps in further when, after their catch is made, their ice making machine burns out, leaving them without the means of packing and preserving the fish. They have no choice but to go back in, directly through the storm, lest the fish spoil, in which case all of their work, and the risks taken, would be for naught. Tyne lets the crew decide; do they turn away and wait out the storm, losing everything, or do they prove that they're `Gloucestermen,' and try to make it back. What Peterson did with this film, the way he tells the story, can be likened to what Melville did with the novel, `Moby Dick;' as it moves along, he fleshes out the characters and subtly provides an intimate portrait of what this kind of life is all about. He pays such meticulous attention to details, that by the time you're in the middle of the storm, the impact is extraordinary; you know what this boat is and how it works, you've smelled the fish and the sweat and the sea, and worked alongside the crew. You know these people and what's at stake here. You know the feel of the fishing lines and the grappling hooks, felt that rush of adrenaline that comes when you hook a big one, or when a huge wave washes over the deck. He gives you so much in this film, puts you in it so completely, that it primes your senses for whatever's to come. Combine all of this with the best special effects imaginable, outstanding performances, and a terrific score by John Horner, and you're in for the thrill of a lifetime. The charismatic Clooney is exemplary here as Tyne; he knows him from the inside out, which enables him to convey a real sense of who this man is. And it shows in the way he carries himself, the way he walks and talks, right down to the look in his eye. He's tough without any unwarranted theatrics or bravura, is self-assured, but aware of his own shortcomings, as well. It's a commanding performance with nuance and depth; It's all there, and Clooney makes it real. Mark Wahlberg, also, is outstanding as Bobby Shatford, the rookie fisherman who can't stand to be more than two feet away from the woman he loves, Christina (Diane Lane). Lane gives a notable performance here, too, as does John C. Reilly, who does an emotional turn as `Murph,' the veteran fisherman with a young son he loves, and who lives with the remorse of past mistakes that cost him his wife. Rounding out the exceptional supporting cast are William Fichtner (Sully), Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (Linda), Allen Payne (Alfred), John Hawkes (Bugsy) and Michael Ironside (Bobby Brown). There are thrills and heroics to spare in `The Perfect Storm,' but it's also inspiring; once you've seen the Coast Guard in action, for example, you'll never take them for granted again. What makes this such a great movie, though, is that it's about real people, doing their jobs and going about living their lives like we all do. It's an instance of ordinary people getting caught up in extraordinary circumstances, and Peterson has made them accessible, ones with whom anyone in the audience will be able to identify. This is an emotionally charged, unforgettable film; you'll experience things from the comfort of your seat in the theater (or on the couch) that most people will never get close to in real life. And therein lies the true magic of the cinema. This is one movie you absolutely do not want to miss. 10/10.