Sync or Swim

Olympics synchronized swimming—memorably sent up in a famous Saturday Night Live skit—is the subject of filmmaker Cheryl Furjanic's documentary, which captures the stamina, passion, pain, and dedicated effort (up to 12 hours a day of practice) displayed by a nine-woman American team from Santa Clara, CA. All in their early to mid-20s, the women prepare for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, with a routine based on Paul Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Who would have guessed that—just as in so many scripted Hollywood jock dramas—even in “synchro” the most formidable opponents are a squad of robotically well-drilled mer-folk from Russia? Some behind-the-scenes footage with that group might have added an illuminating angle here, but the cameras stay with the Americans, and finds unexpected drama: the potentially repetitious spectacle of the swimmers honing their choreography under a taskmaster coach takes a shockingly tragic, dramatic turn when one of the girls is involved in a car accident that results in possibly career-ending injuries and a vehicular manslaughter charge. DVD extras include filmmaker and swimmer audio commentary, deleted scenes, and updates on the team members. Ultimately, the popular underdog formula scores again here. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)