Directed by Oisín Mistéil, four Irish Rugby teams who defy stereotypes tackle their way to the Mixed Ability Rugby World Cup, where full-contact sport meets joyful belonging.
Firstly, Try! is doing a wonderful thing in bringing awareness to the concept of Mixed Ability sports as it’s likely that a lot of viewers will be entirely unaware of its existence. Secondly, it’s just such a lovely idea that’s so inclusive and considerate of people’s different needs, wants and abilities, that it’s a terrific experience to bring to audiences. To capture that the thing which brings them all together is not shared disabilities, it’s their passion for the sport.
The style which Oisín Mistéil takes reflects that because it feels entirely like home videos, preserving the memories of this World Cup run, playing with their friends, giving it their all and enjoying the competition. Mistéil does a great job of capturing what the clubs and contest means to each of the subjects and how it provides a helpful, encouraging outlet in their lives. Creating a strongly positive energy, which has an infectious optimism.
There are a few moments where the subjects address the adversity and the progress which still needs to be made, showing why projects like Try! to increase awareness are so important. The tone is sweet and sentimental and it’s a lovely viewing experience, but it can also feel like a lot of the same. It sticks so strongly to capturing those memories, that it feels like the exploration or discussion of the relevant themes falls by the wayside. It is however something that feels intentional to really give the subjects and sport the platform, but it does feel like a missed opportunity to delve into some meaningful topics.
Try! is filled with emotion and positivity, it’s a celebration of inclusivity and a reminder that the perspective of disability in sport has a lot of room for progression. The style feels driven by that emotion and the subjects’ passion which is lovely to watch but at the same time those elements can only take the documentary so far. There was the room to explore disability, mental health and accessibility in sports further, but at the same time it feels like Oisín Mistéil had the best of intentions to really just give these subjects the floor and let them run with it.
FilmCarnage.com 