The new Boys in the Boat movie, which is based on the true story of the Washington rowing team which was released in December of 2023, highlights an important triumph for America during the 1930s. This movie highlights the sport of rowing, which at the time, and even now, is not widely recognized.

In the twentieth century, rowing was perceived as a sport for the wealthy at colleges such as Columbia, Yale, and Syracuse. These universities held top scores in the country and had easy access to the resources required to fund the sport itself. However, in 1936, which was an important Olympic qualifying year, 9 boys from Washington demonstrated to America that where you are from and how much money you have does not define your limits to glory.

This movie outlines the boys’ story through the perspective of Joe Rantz, the movie’s protagonist. He was the seventh seat in the 1936 Olympic qualifying boat from Washington. The boys that made the team lived in cars and run down homes outside of the city, and needed the money and housing that came with a spot on the team.

They were the strongest JV team their coach had ever seen, and after blowing through a win and a course record time at their first meet, their coach Ulbrickson decided to enter the JV team into the Poughkeepsie Regatta, the most infamous Regatta qualifier for nationals and that year, for the Olympics. Due to the prestige of this regatta, outrage ensued when these novice rowers were entered in place of the Varsity team, which had been training for 4 years, and who had been effectively passed over for this opportunity.

It is at this moment that the movie reveals its heart: these boys found a family in each other, rowing in honor of all those who were less fortunate and proving their gumption to those who didn’t believe in them. They won the race and won Gold at the regatta. The Washington boys were going to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin!

However, despite these boys winning fair and square, the United States rowing committee was unable to fund the team’s trip to Germany: if the boys were unable to come up with five thousand dollars by the end of the week, the spot would be given to CalTech, the second place team, who had more than enough money to afford the trip. In fact, the image-conscious rowing committee would have preferred if CalTech or Princeton, the second and third place qualifiers, went to the Olympics instead of Washington’s novices. Thus, at the last minute, they changed the rules and forced Coach Ulbrickson to make a choice: raise the money in seven days or give up the Berlin spot to the more distinguished teams.

This ultimatum revealed Washington’s true support for its schools. Their families back home and anyone that could spare donated to the fund for their trip. Even CalTech donated the final 300 dollars needed for Washington to go to Berlin because they knew that those boys deserved it more than anyone.

The boys from Washington became a beacon of hope in the time of the Great Depression in America. They were a personification of the American Dream: they came from the poor south and had strong beliefs and desires to win – not only for their country, but for their own pride. They wanted to win to prove that they, the underdog, could overshadow all the private schools and that they had what it took to be a winner – without money.

In an unfortunate turn of events, when the boys arrived in Berlin, the stroke seat – the leader of the boat setting tempo and pace – caught a nasty stomach bug with a 101 degree fever and felt too sick to row. They had two days for him to recover before the final race, and they risked having to put in his sub. Thankfully, Donny, strengthened by his will to row, recovers enough to join the race alongside every single boy – all were determined to win for their coach, country, but most importantly for themselves. They wanted to know that all this work had paid off and that they could show the rest of America that no one could ever beat them down because they will always come back stronger.

All in all, Boys in the Boat is a fantastic movie, regardless of whether you’ve even heard of rowing before, and will leave any viewer with an urge to go out and do. Run, row, play basketball anything – this movie pushes you past what you think you’re capable of and is an absolute must-see in theaters.