Touch the Wall

This extraordinary documentary follows two competitive swimmers—then-teenaged Missy Franklin and 25-year-old Kara Lynn Joyce—in the run-up to the 2012 Summer Olympics, counting down from 593 days before the Olympic trials to the qualifying meets and then on to the games in London. Striking underwater photography, lighthearted animation, and interviews with Franklin, Joyce, Franklin's parents, and coach Todd Schmitz flesh out footage of practice sessions and swim meets. Filmmakers Christo Brock and Grant A. Barbeito build an element of suspense for those who are unfamiliar with Franklin's record—she won five medals and set record times during the Olympic trials and games. There's also some drama involving a possible rivalry between the swimmers, who met when Joyce decided to train with Franklin's high school team and remained friends as Joyce's swimming career waned and Franklin became a media darling. Franklin remains levelheaded and committed to her home team, while Joyce eventually moves on to train with other, older Olympic vets. Coach Schmitz, despite some attempt to cast him as a villain (he was apparently not the right coach for Joyce), tears up when he talks about working with her. A beautifully filmed, absorbing, and inspirational portrait of two remarkable athletes, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (M. Puffer-Rothenberg)