Pushing Limits, Defying Odds, and Embracing the Unknown

Read Time:4 Minute, 24 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Row of Life
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 22m
Director(s): Soraya Simi
Where To Watch: shown at the 2025 Santa Barbara International Film Festival

RAVING REVIEW: There are stories that exist beyond the records they break or the challenges they overcome—stories that speak to the core of human resilience. ROW OF LIFE is one of those rare documentaries that doesn’t just chronicle a journey; it immerses the audience in the unshakable determination of its subject. Angela Madsen’s quest to row solo across the Pacific Ocean was more than a feat of endurance—it was a testament to her unrelenting spirit, her deep love for the open water, and the profound bond she shared with her wife, Deb. What unfolds is an awe-inspiring adventure and an emotional reckoning with the cost of chasing greatness.

Angela’s life reads like the kind of story that screenwriters dream of—except it was all real. A Marine Corps veteran, a three-time Paralympian, and a Guinness World Record-holding rower, she was no stranger to defying the odds. After an injury left her paraplegic, she rebuilt her life through adaptive sports, proving time and again that limitations were nothing more than obstacles waiting to be shattered. This film captures her most ambitious challenge—rowing solo and unassisted from Los Angeles to Hawaii. While that premise alone is compelling, the real emotional weight of the story comes from what happens beyond the physical journey.

At its heart, ROW OF LIFE is as much about love as endurance. The documentary doesn’t just track Angela’s struggle against the unpredictable ocean—it also follows Deb, who waits on land back at home, sending messages of encouragement and hoping for the best. The contrast between Angela’s solitude at sea and Deb’s strength creates an emotional pull that makes the film more than an exploration of extreme endurance. It’s a story about connection, sacrifice, and the kind of devotion that transcends distance.

The cinematography makes it clear—this is not a place for the faint of heart. Expansive shots of endless water reinforce the enormity of Angela’s challenge, while the film’s use of sound design pulls the audience into the sound and pacing of her oars slicing through the waves. Every frame feels deliberate, making the ocean a character—sometimes a quiet companion, sometimes an unrelenting adversary.

What sets this documentary apart is its refusal to oversimplify Angela’s story. It doesn’t just celebrate her achievements—it acknowledges the immense risks and the sacrifices required to chase something extraordinary. There is no manufactured sense of triumph here, no neatly packaged conclusion. Instead, the film honors Angela by presenting her as bold, passionate, and fiercely independent. The raw honesty in its storytelling is what makes it so poignant.

If there’s one area where the film could have gone deeper, it’s exploring Angela’s early life and the challenges that shaped her resilience. While her accomplishments are undeniable, a more detailed look at her past—her struggles in the Marine Corps, the difficult transition to adaptive sports, and the defining moments that led her to this journey—could have provided even greater insight into the woman behind the records. This is genuinely just me being selfish and wanting more of this incredible human story; there is so much more to Angela, so many more stories, and the world needs to see them.

ROW OF LIFE isn’t just about one woman’s attempt to cross the Pacific—it’s about what it means to dedicate yourself completely to a dream, no matter the cost. It’s about the drive to push beyond limits, the courage to face the unknown, and the love that makes such journeys possible. Angela Madsen’s story will stay with audiences long after the screen fades to black, not because of the records she broke but because of the sheer force of will that defined her life.

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[photo courtesy of VACATIONLAND FILMS, TOGETHXR, TIME STUDIOS]

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