Nyad

Annette Bening and Jodie Foster drive this crowd-pleasing biopic of long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad, which doubles as an uplifting portrait of female friendship and perseverance. Set in the early 2010s, the film focuses on a long-since retired Nyad (Bening) training to swim 110 miles from Cuba to Florida - a feat that she failed during her 1970s heyday. Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Free Solo) put their documentary background to good use, interweaving the dramatic action with captivating archival footage. For the most part, they do a great job of conveying the physical toll of Nyad's efforts as she overcomes numerous setbacks, including sharks, storms and deadly jellyfish, to finally achieve her superhuman feat. Less effective are the attempts to offer insight into her psychological state through clunky hallucinations and flashbacks. It's in the rewarding scenes between Bening and Foster, who is magnetic as Nyad's long-suffering friend and coach, that the film truly shines.