This attempt to elevate the reputation of Capt Matthew Webb, first man to swim the English Channel, suffers from a visibly stretched budget and a careworn structuring device, flashing back mid-crossing to detail how Webb got his toes wet. Among those dropping by the heritage locations to do Justin Hardy a favour, Steve Oram’s coach provides flickers of cheer, but Warren Brown’s oafish performance ensures a less than winning protagonist, and the supporting cast is awash with stick-on sideburns and phoney yokel accents. Sporadic handheld shots fail to lend a sexy modern edge, merely pointing up how unconvincing it all looks.
