AllMovie

A Norwegian fisherman survives a shipwreck at sea, and wrestles with the guilt of being the sole survivor while being celebrated as a national hero in this affecting drama based on actual events. Iceland, Westman Islands: 1984. Gulli (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) and his crew of seasoned seamen welcome a new cook into the fold before sailing out to sea on what appears to be a typical fishing excursion. With a chill in the air, the crew casts their nets into the frigid waters in hopes of netting a big catch. But when the net gets snagged, the boat capsizes, plunging the terrified crew into the icy, churning depths. Incredibly, as the rest of the crew parishes, Gulli somehow summons the strength to keep swimming until he reaches the shore. Later, as Gulli recovers, scientists speculate that no mortal man should have been able to survive such harsh conditions, and take him to a London research center for a battery of physical tests. Meanwhile, on the outside, the stout sailor becomes a symbol of national pride for a country that had endured great hardships over the past century. Haunted by the events of that fateful night, Gulli later returns home to comfort the children of his best friend and fellow sailor, and remember how it feels to lead a normal life.