Touch the Wall

Touch the Wall is a sports documentary considered one of the most inspiring movies made on female athletes and their challenging journey towards the Olympic Games. Released in 2014, this riveting movie focuses on the extraordinary lives of two American swimmers, Missy Franklin and Kara Lynn Joyce, with a special emphasis on their immense dedication, rigorous training, and unfaltering spirit they muster while chasing their Olympic dreams.

One of the pivotal attractions of the movie is the exceptional four-time Olympic gold medalist, Missy Franklin, who was merely 17 during the London Olympics in 2012. The film successfully and authentically traces the making of this swimming sensation while providing a rare and intimate portrayal of her life behind the closed swimming pool doors. It triumphantly encapsulates Franklin’s journey from being a high-school swimmer to a world-renowned Olympic swimmer. Her dynamic personality and charming innocence form the backbone of the narrative, making it an engrossing watch.

The film serves as a dual narrative showcasing the contrasting experiences of another renowned swimmer, Kara Lynn Joyce. She is presented as an experienced athlete who joins Franklin's swim club to prepare for her Olympic dream. Joyce’s story complements Franklin’s journey beautifully, offering a reflective contrast between the various stages of a swimmers' career, the aspiring and the accomplished.

Touch the Wall offers a genuine representation of the grueling reality of training for the Olympics, underlining the blood, sweat, and tears that fuel the journey. It is not just about winning and losing; instead, the movie profoundly succeeds in shedding light on the essence of sportsmanship, hard work, and, most importantly, the power of friendship and mentorship.

The movie’s documentary style provides an unfettered access to the lives of these championship swimmers: their heartaches, their victories, pre-game rituals, and anxieties. It delves into the human side of these extraordinary athletes, lifting the veil to exhibit their optimism, their unwavering conviction in the face of hindrances, and how their perseverance helps them 'touch the wall', both literally and metaphorically.

Providing a comprehensive view of their journey, the film also focuses on the pivotal role that Franklin's parents, (particularly, her father, Da Franklin), play in her training days, their constant support adding another dimension to her success story. Their relationship depicts the sacrifices that parents make to aid their children in achieving their dreams and emphasizes the significance of family support in a swimmer’s journey.

This film holds appeal for a wide range of audience- from young aspiring athletes eager to make their mark, seasoned sports enthusiasts, parents of athlete children to those inclined to human stories of grit and determination. It could also prove to be an educational tool successfully showcasing the importance of discipline, self-belief, and perseverance.

Touch the Wall brings the viewers an inspiring depiction of two remarkable athletes' trials and tribulations, never sugarcoating their paths but showing the unglamorous side of training too. It's not simply a film about swimming but about the courage to dream and determination to pursue. Infused with emotion and inspiration, this movie is definitely a must-watch for all sports enthusiasts and followers of the human spirit.

In terms of filmmaking, the storytelling is compelling, the visuals are compelling, and the pace, while steady, encourages the viewer to stay engaged with developing narratives. This beautifully crafted, emotionally charged journey of two women chasing their dreams is an ode to ambition and enduring spirits. It balances competitiveness, camaraderie, and the reality of sports in such a way that continues to inspire viewers even years after its release.

To sum up, Touch the Wall is a remarkable movie that commemorates the strength and bond of the human spirit and sportsmanship. A well-articulated, behind-the-scenes look at the high stakes world of competitive swimming, the movie is an incidental sports masterclass, a study in discipline and tenacity, and an intensely human examination of what it takes to reach the top of one's game, and stay there. It is an ode to the world of sports, calling out to every dreamer who believes in their ability to triumph despite the odds, to hold on, push harder, and eventually touch their wall.