Given Joe Carnahan’s track record of delivering gripping action films such as Smokin’ Aces (2006) and The Grey, it’s not surprising he was tapped to co-write and direct Not Without Hope, based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Nick Schuyler. Dropping viewers into the rough waters of the Gulf of Mexico for most of the film, the result is a paint-by-the-numbers thriller with little emotional punch.
Zachary Levi stars as Schuyler, a 24-year-old personal trainer and recent graduate who played football in college. Schuyler helps friends Marquis Cooper (Quentin Plair) and Corey Smith (Terrence Terrell), two journeyman NFL players, get ready for another season. When another friend, Will Bleakley (Marshall Cook) shows up at a barbecue announcing he’s been laid off from his job at a financial firm, the trio invites him to join them on a fishing trip. The next morning, the guys take off from Clearwater Fl., for a day of fishing into the Gulf of Mexico.
We know what’s going to happen; the stranded-at-sea story is hardly a new one—films including Adrift, All is Lost and Adrift have done it before. The acting is solid. Zachary Levi, known for his comedic work in the TV series Chuck and Shazam! movies, handles some dramatic moments well. Even so, the casting is questionable. The actors are more than ten years older than the men their portraying, and it shows. However, their all in good shape, so that’s believable.
The biggest problem with Not Without Hope is the script. While Joe Carnahan and co-writer E. Nicholas Mariani offer flashes of the bond between the men, little is explored about their lives before the accident. Though it’s undoubtedly Marquis’ and Corey’s connection to the NFL that makes this story worth telling. Beyond that, there’s nothing new here. Nonetheless, it’s nice to see JoBeth Williams on the big screen, this time as Nick’s mother Marcia, who refuses to believe her son is dead.
This story was all over the news when it happened. Lots of people will remember how Not Without Hope ends. If you would like to see the story played out, this film offers a decent way to do so.
Available on DVD, the film is shown in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. English subtitles are included.
The only extra is the theatrical trailer.