THE STORY – At the head of a remote Maine harbor, the 60-some workers of the Brooklin Boat Yard coax wooden planks around a frame, make precise saw cuts, and sand edges for flawless joints, resulting in some of the most stunning and sought-after wooden vessels in the world. Over the course of four vibrant seasons, director Luke Lorentzen tracks the boatbuilders’ meticulous construction of a 56-foot sailboat while embedding us in the lives of these men and their close-knit community.
THE CAST – Trent Glisson & Brian Larkin
THE TEAM – Luke Lorentzen (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 103 Minutes
The best documentaries are those which teach us something new about the world around us, no matter how seemingly mundane or ordinary that may be. For the vast majority of those watching Luke Lorentzen’s new documentary, that mission will be accomplished. Building boats may not be something that most people have ever thought about, let alone learned about in any detail, but “Boatbuilders” does an excellent job of introducing viewers to this world through fascinating individuals, a binding sense of community, and some rich, atmospheric filmmaking.
At the heart of “Boatbuilders” is the Brooklin Boat Yard crew, a dedicated collective of shipbuilders and construction workers assigned with making the finest boats in New England. Over the course of an entire year, the workers are tasked with constructing a 56-foot sailboat for a wealthy client. As their deadline draws closer and various logistical problems continue to set them back in their work, the Brooklin Boat Yard crew come together to finish the boat before it’s too late.
Watching a group of men put large planks of wood together for almost two hours doesn’t sound like the most engaging or stirring subject matter for a documentary, but Luke Lorentzen manages to transform this otherwise mundane labor into a thrilling, educational documentary that’s just as much about the people in front of the camera as it is about their work. At the center of the film is Trent Glisson, the project manager of the shipyard who leads this team toward their goal. As one of his colleagues points out halfway through the film, he’s got a lot going on in his life: he’s the one responsible for ensuring this job gets finished on time, he’s trying to make enough money for his struggling family, and his wife has another child on the way.
During Trent’s performance review at the beginning of “Boatbuilders”, he’s told by his superiors that he needs to be more assertive towards his teammates to ensure everybody is pulling their weight to get this massive ship finished before the deadline. This immediately sets the stakes of the documentary; the deadline is right around the corner, and its success hinges on Trent’s ability to develop his leadership skills while juggling his turbulent home life at the same time. “Boatbuilders” is extremely successful at taking these small, mundane moments in these characters’ lives and using them to set the foundations of a clear narrative that audiences can get behind, like taking jigsaw pieces and putting them together in just the right way. It never feels like we’re just watching people work, but rather Lorentzen ensures that his film has characters, subplots, and emotional payoffs without manipulating the raw footage at all.
This is an extremely important skill for a documentary filmmaker to display, and Lorentzen makes it feel natural. There are moments in “Boatbuilders” with such emotional depth and character progression that it’s hard to believe the film isn’t scripted, which makes for incredibly compelling viewing. Even when nothing is really “happening,” in the traditional sense, and we’re just following these men through their daily lives, the film’s dynamic editing and direction always make it feel like we’re purposely building toward something. But at the same time, “Boatbuilders” isn’t afraid to lean into the more ordinary, less sensationalized filmmaking. Not every scene in the film contributes to some kind of clear narrative thread; Lorentzen pays extreme attention to the tactile, including lots of atmospheric, environmental footage that serves little function beyond giving the audience a rich, immersive sense of this community. And with its sprawling lakes, luscious snowscapes, and bustling seafaring business, this New England town is the perfect location to get lost in for two hours.
There is admittedly a certain lack of conflict to this story that makes the entire thing pass without much notice; all problems are solved without much trouble, and the encroaching deadline never feels like a genuine threat. This makes for a very easy watch, but “Boatbuilders” could equally have benefitted from a more in-depth assessment of the challenges that these workers face and a clearer explanation of how they overcame them. As it stands, all of the conflict feels very superficial – the deadline feels less like an act and more like a self-imposed conclusion that we’re simply traveling toward. Ultimately, “Boatbuilders” lands comfortably on the more charming, sentimental end of the documentary spectrum, with subjects who genuinely care about their work and make that contagious passion burst through the screen. It may be a subject that most people aren’t necessarily interested in, but Lorentzen makes it extremely accessible with a keen eye for aesthetic visuals that goes a long way.
