By the Bluest of Seas: A weirdly lovely shipwreck

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies that feel like a long, salty breeze, yes. It is definitely for people who prefer vibes over tight plotting. If you need a movie to move fast or actually have a point, stay away. You will probably find it boring.

The whole thing starts with a shipwreck, but don't expect a survival thriller. The crash is just an excuse to get these two guys onto this island in the Caspian Sea. They spend the rest of the movie acting like they have been there for years, despite the fact that they probably should be worried about getting home. It is weirdly casual.

The romance feels like a game of tag that goes on forever. Watching them compete for the same woman is less about drama and more about who can look the most pathetic while trying to be helpful around the village. It is actually kind of sweet, in a sad way.

The ocean shots are the real star here. There is this one scene where the water looks so blue it hurts your eyes. I caught myself zoning out just watching the waves hit the shore. It is way more interesting than whatever the characters were bickering about at the time.

The acting is very… let's say, expressive. Sometimes it feels like they are performing in a theater at the far end of a football field. It is a bit much, but it fits the weirdly upbeat tone of the island life.

It reminds me a bit of the frantic, slightly disjointed energy you find in Swing You Sinners!, even if they are worlds apart in genre. Both have this feeling of characters who don't quite know what to do with their hands when they aren't singing or shouting.

• The villagers look like they are having a better time than the leads.
• I still don't understand how they keep their clothes that clean after a wreck.
• The accordion music. So much accordion.
• There is a moment near the middle where they just stare at a fish for way too long. I loved it.

Honestly, the movie is a bit of a mess. It doesn't seem to know if it wants to be a drama, a comedy, or just a travelogue for a place that doesn't really exist anymore. But that messiness? It is what makes it feel alive. It feels less like a product and more like a postcard from someone who got lost on vacation.

It is not a masterpiece. It is just a nice, weird, windy afternoon in black and white. 🌊