The Jersey Hammerheads swim team, based in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, consists entirely of teenage swimmers on the autism spectrum; several of them are also non-Caucasian. Founding parent volunteers Maria and Michael McQuay supervise all their efforts and training in the pool. The documentary Swim Team focuses on three of the Hammerheads - the McQuays' son Mikey, Kelvin Truong and Robert Justino - and their parents, focusing on the boys' adolescent and athletic tribulations and aspirations, and their families' challenges with raising an autistic child.
Director Lara Stolman graduated from work as a TV news and documentary producer to documentarian with this solid effort that carefully mixes disability and sport. Firstly, the bad: I wish Stolman had given it a more imaginative title, and I (initially) felt true contempt for one of the boys' parents (no, neither of the McQuays) and I won't say why for spoiler reasons, but they did eventually redeem themselves in my book. But now, the good: Stolman investigates this team's efforts and all of their personal and family affairs very delicately and objectively, and with balance. She also showcases some breathtaking underwater photography from Laela Kilbourne, and smartly resists a music soundtrack with even a hint of heavy-handedness.
Now, I don't watch that many films of any kind about sport, but this is among the best of the ones I have seen about it and autism (or disability in general). It's a beautiful, honest and stereotype-challenging examination of that condition and while I don't quite give it a gold medal, I do give it a medal nonetheless. 8/10.
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