Based on true events, The Swimmers is an inspirational tale of two sisters residing in a war-torn Syria who happen to participate in the Olympics. The story is quite heartfelt and inspiring and a shade different from the regular sports dramas. The screenplay standing at 135 minutes does enough to make me believe that it didn’t overstay its welcome. But it is the writing here which is subtle, heartfelt and impressive.

The drama opens with the introduction of the two young protagonists wherein we are told about the onset of the Syrian war through a video. The drama does take a 5 year leap where the two protagonists, now all grown up, are partying in Damascus, Syria. This until we see a spark of light at a distance making its way through the dark sky only to spiral downwards. This was a powerful start to the proceedings wherein we are shown two stark representations of the country – one that is inflicting a war and the other featuring locals who are now immune to the attacks(considering that 5 years have past).

Through some match edits we are given an idea that the two sisters are swimmers and are coached by their own father. In another powerful scene, a sky rocket invades the swimming arena while a local competition is taking place. This scene is beautifully constructed and does send a shiver down your spine. The decision for the two sisters to shift to Europe does seem inevitable despite the family being moderately affected by poverty.

The drama is consistently engaging and engrossing in literally tracing the journey of the two sisters to Europe. There are scenes filled with tension especially the entire boat sequence that did feature so many refugees making their way to Europe, with a lot of uncertainty. The power in the writing resides in the fact that you as a viewer are thoroughly invested in the characters even though the drama is fairly predictable. But you still are invested in their journey and wish to know on the events transpiring in leading up to their destination. And there are plenty of events to keep you on your toes.

There are plenty of heartfelt moments particularly when people from different cultures meet for a common goal. In a subtly moving scene, a couple of women wearing a Hijab take it off citing that ‘they should try to fit in’ which perhaps was a first step in giving up your beliefs and willing to adapt to the surroundings. There are a few good twists and turns leading up to the heartwarming and inspiring final act.

But I did have a couple of issues here as well. I did not like the fact that the screenplay did not surprise me enough. The writing was good and safe with the latter being a bit of a downer for me. Also, the final act although heartfelt was a tad underwhelming and rushed too. Another minor issue was in the tonal shift of scenes briefly in the middle and at the end which weren’t smooth. Perhaps a little more emotions thrown in wouldn’t have hurt much! Yet, taking nothing away from this beautiful journey that was filled with loss and hope thus summing up a screenplay that was well written.