Remembering Sydney

Authors: Jason
Location: New York

"Remembering Sydney”

Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Written by: Paul Haggis
Music by: Stephen Warbeck

Principal Cast:

Ethan Lansing- Jake Gyllenhaal
Alina Kowalski- Natalie Portman
William Lansing- Kevin Costner
Coach Regina Pawlak- Maria Bello
Coach Jeffrey Gardiner- Hugh Jackman
Heather Welsh- Scarlett Johansson

Tagline: "Dive into the action this October"

Synopsis: Athletes from all over the world arrive in Sydney , Australia in the year 2064 to prepare for the upcoming Summer Olympics. America's top swimmer is Ethan Lansing , a young and motivated guy who is concentrated only on taking home gold. Ethan's mom passed away when he was 6 and his dad was never really around when he while he was growing up. When he was home, his father, William Lansing, would beat him and tell him he would never accomplish anything in his life. Ethan moved out at 18 and pursued a career in swimming, a sport he's been practicing since he was 8. By age 22, he was America's best swimmer and earned his first spot in the Summer Olympics. Alina Kowalski is Poland's only female swimmer to make it to Sydney this year. This is her first major competition and no one seems to recognize her fantastic abilities. Athletes arrived in Sydney eight weeks prior to the start of the Olympics to continue with their training. It was during this time that Ethan and Alina met, began to practice together, and fell in love. The night of the opening ceremonies, five Polish athletes captured two American athletes, kicking off an American-Polish conflict that has been stirring for months. Ethan and Alina are put in a very hard situation and are soon faced with many worries, including Alina's pregnancy. The games still go on but there is so much tension, hostility, hatred, and violence that is about to burst and change Ethan and Alina's lives forever.

What the press would say:

Jake Gyllenhaal shines as the film's leading character. He portrays Ethan flawlessly as a man who goes through many changes throughout the film. Natalie Portman gives her best performance to date as Alina Kowalski. She brings Alina's innocence and determination to life, as well as her strong feelings for Ethan. Kevin Costner perfectly portrays William Landsing's malicious attitude and abusive behavior. His most memorable scene is during his confrontation with Ethan in Sydney , since they haven't seen one another in person in over four years. Maria Bello does an outstanding job playing Alina's strict yet sincere coach, while Hugh Jackman nails the role of Ethan's longtime coach and friend who pushes him to work to the best of his abilities. Scarlett Johnasson is fantastic playing the role of Heather Welsh, America's top female swimmer who is Alina's biggest competition in both the Olympics and with Ethan. "Remembering Sydney" has something for everyone: suspense, romance, sports, violence, and great acting!

Oscar Nominations:

Best Picture
Best Director: Clint Eastwood
Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal
Best Actress: Natalie Portman
Best Supporting Actress: Scarlett Johansson
Best Supporting Actor: Kevin Costner
Best Original Screenplay: Paul Haggis
Best Cinematography
Best Original Song
Best Original Score
Best Sound Editing