It’s impossible not the feel somewhat weary about films inspired by real life stories when they hit the cinema with such frequency. Often this genre tends to be exaggerated by Hollywood directors who are always keen to put their own twist on events. Fortunately, ‘Adrift’ is directed superbly and features two actors out of the very top drawer.

The film tells the story of Tami (Shailene Woodley) and her fiancé Richard (Sam Clafin) who are travelling from Tahiti to San Diego on a yacht. After being caught in a hurricane, Tami wakes to find Richard injured and her yacht in a sorry state.

Thanks to a series of flashbacks we discover just why they were sailing across the Pacific. We are also continually brought back to the present, where Tami is in a desperate fight to survive. Their chances of rescue are extremely slim, they’re far off course, and a long way from the shipping lanes. We’re stuck at sea with the couple as the food and water supplies run out and their plight becomes ever more desperate.

The two main characters have a warm, loving chemistry although, maybe unsurprising given his condition, Clafin’s character gets duller as the film goes on. The film’s effects are staggering, the sheer size of the ocean is captured superbly. There are some incredible shots of sunsets and marine life that are to be treasured.

‘Adrift’ is a really enjoyable watch. The two lead characters deserve an enormous amount of credit for their performances, their ability to portray their terror at their situation is to be applauded. The film is full of flashbacks, so you need to concentrate throughout to keep up with the storyline.