I’m an unashamed lover of underdog sports stories, movies based on true events, and movies based on books. Check, check, and check. The Boys in the Boat is quite a successful film translation by director George Clooney, even if the written form is more capable of developing characters and telling a satisfyingly complete tale. The only distracting note was an odd focus on the oar lock clamps, which had me predicting inevitable disaster, but definitely added to the racing scenes’ intensity. Even so, this is simply a feel-good sports drama with steady pacing that allows for an easily enjoyable ride.