The Mercy

The Mercy tells the story of Donald Crowhurst, an amateur sailor and struggling businessman who in 1968 enters the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, a solo voyage around the world without stopping. Hoping the prize money will rescue his failing company and secure a better life for his wife and children, he sets out in a boat of his own design that is not yet finished. It soon becomes clear he cannot win, and he begins reporting false positions to those following his progress.

James Marsh directed the film, which sits between King of Thieves and Dance First in his filmography and followed The Theory of Everything. Scott Z. Burns wrote the screenplay and produced alongside Nicolas Mauvernay and Jacques Perrin. Colin Firth plays Crowhurst, with Rachel Weisz as his wife Clare, David Thewlis as publicist Rodney Hallworth, Mark Gatiss as Ronald Hall and Jonathan Bailey as Ian Wheeler. The film runs 102 minutes.

Released in February 2018, the production had a budget of 18 million USD and returned 5 million USD worldwide. On IMDb it holds 6 out of 10 from 10,000 votes, and on TMDB 5.9 out of 10 from 306 votes. A critics' rating of 6.3 out of 10 from 82 reviews places it slightly above both audience scores.