All Is Lost is a 106-minute survival drama about an unnamed sailor alone in the Indian Ocean after a collision disables his yacht’s navigation equipment and radio. Directed by J.C. Chandor and led by Robert Redford as the film’s sole performer, it turns practical setbacks, physical action and carefully shaped sound into its story.
What is All Is Lost about?
The film follows a sailor on a solo voyage in the Indian Ocean. A floating shipping container strikes his 39-foot yacht, damaging it and disabling the navigation equipment and radio. With a storm approaching, he tries to reach a shipping lane using nautical charts and a sextant. The festival synopsis identifies the sailor only as “The Man,” rather than giving him a personal name. (Festival de Cannes film record)
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The setup is spare, but the story is not simply a series of maritime problems. Each setback changes what the sailor can do next, and the film makes his responses—the work of assessing damage, improvising and enduring—carry the narrative. Its focus stays close to one person’s immediate predicament rather than widening into an ensemble story.
Why is Robert Redford almost silent?
Silence is a deliberate storytelling choice. Cannes’ 2013 press conference identified Redford as the film’s only actor. The production notes describe Chandor’s screenplay as roughly 30 pages of prose description rather than conventional dialogue, and characterize the sailor’s ordeal as an eight-day journey. Those figures describe the screenplay and the story, not the film’s runtime or a real-world survival benchmark. (Cannes press conference; 2013 production notes)
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Redford said the lack of dialogue appealed to him as an acting challenge: “It’s a very big challenge being alone, with no crutch, no dialogue, no words. It’s a challenge that attracted me a lot as an actor.” (Cannes press conference)
He also described what that restraint can do for the viewer. At a National Board of Review Q&A, he said: “There was no dialog, I liked that—because that meant you’d take a filter away, take a buffer away, between the story and the audience.” (National Board of Review, October 18, 2013) Rather than explaining the sailor’s thoughts in speeches, the film asks viewers to read his choices and physical reactions.
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How do sound and score build tension?
In a film with so little spoken language, sound has room to carry information and mood. The sailor’s actions and the changing conditions around the yacht become especially prominent, while Alex Ebert’s score provides another way to shape the viewer’s response. Chandor said the music “comes in a crescendo and builds the spectator’s trust. It enhances the story.” (Cannes press conference)
The score was recognized with a 2014 Golden Globe win for Alex Ebert; Washington Square Films also lists a 2014 Academy Award nomination for sound editing. These are distinct credits: the former is a win for the original score, the latter a nomination for sound editing. (Washington Square Films)
How long is the film, and how much time passes in the story?
The Festival de Cannes lists the film’s runtime as 106 minutes. The 2013 production notes describe the sailor’s survival journey as spanning eight days. One is the film’s length; the other is the story’s stated duration. (Festival de Cannes film record; 2013 production notes)
Where can you watch or find All Is Lost?
STARZ currently has a page listing All Is Lost as a 2013 HD 5.1 title. A catalog page does not establish that the film is available to every subscriber or in every country, and streaming catalogs and terms can change; check the service directly for current local access. (STARZ title page)
Pony Canyon documents a Japanese-market Blu-ray release dated September 2, 2014, with a 106-minute runtime, English and Japanese audio, and product code PCXP.50241. That confirms the edition’s release details, not present stock or compatibility with players in other territories. Check the seller’s listing for region compatibility, audio options and availability before buying. (Pony Canyon product page)
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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