Review: The Mercy

What makes a man a hero? Is it conquering obstacles and being victorious? Or is it facing those same obstacles with the knowledge that failure is the only result? For those unfamiliar with Donald Crowhurst, the handsomely mounted biopic The Mercy will strike one as possibly a tale of triumph; for those familiar with the man's deeds, the film is a tale of inevitable tragedy.

"Men do not decide to become extraordinary," Crowhurst shares in the film's opening voiceover. "They decide to accomplish extraordinary things." The words are both an aspiration and a warning for man's ambitions often exceed their capabilities, which was certainly the case for Crowhurst. Embodied with typical melancholy dignity by Colin Firth, Crowhurst is initially presented as a man keen to do right by his wife Clare (Rachel Weisz) and their four young children. He's an engineering entrepreneur doing his best to peddle his latest invention, an advanced directional finder named the Navicator, at sailing conventions but with very little success.

When The Sunday Times announces the inaugural Golden Globe Race, an around-the-world yacht race that promises a huge cash prize and accompanying celebrity, he believes it to be the perfect opportunity to pay off his mounting debts, better provide for his family, and boost his business. Yet it's clear from the jump that he has neither the boat nor the experience to undertake such a voyage. Though he nonchalantly reasons away all his wife's concerns, he does wonder in a moment of serious reflection "What have I done all these years?" that would make his children proud of him.

On the surface, the first half of The Mercy resembles an underdog story in the vein of Rocky or Rudy. Crowhurst himself is aware of the everyman image of himself that's being cultivated by tabloid reporter-turned-publicist Rodney Hallworth (David Thewlis) to the public as well as to potential sponsors. The greater the troubles, the more the film seems to prime viewers for an inspirational win. One of the many remarkable things about the film is how, although the first half's hopefulness contains an undertow of vibrating worry, it still doesn't prepare for the second half's stark and alarming situation in which Crowhurst has placed himself. To turn back would be to face humiliation and financial ruin, to press on in his unseaworthy vessel would result in a likely death. With the isolation of the sea further gnawing at his already troubled mental state, Crowhurst makes the even more foolhardy decision to craft an elaborate deception, falsifying log reports and pretending he was making terrific progress in his communications to his wife and Hallworth.

James Marsh, who directed The Theory of Everything, eschews sentimentality for the most part, preferring to imbue Crowhurst's story with a polite poeticism. The film is unabashedly tipped in Crowhurst's favour, which may niggle at some viewers who wish for him to be in a less romanticised and sympathetic light.

The Mercy

Directed by: James Marsh

Written by: Scott Z. Burns

Starring: Colin Firth, Rachel Weisz, David Thewlis, Ken Stott, Jonathan Bailey, Mark Gatiss, Adrian Schiller, Oliver Maltman, Simon McBurney