While cameos of veteran older actors Beverly Garland, Della Reese and Skip Homeier add a touch of style to this TV drama, it's the dramatic performances of two younger actors, Desi Arnaz Jr. And Mike Evans that is the glue that holds this above average TV movie together. Complete opposites, their characters tossed together for an ocean journey to Hawaii only reveals the emotion in the situation is their bond, the need to survive and help each other. Arnaz is a rather liberal teen heading for college, but inate prejudices are revealed that he has to come to terms with, coming to see Evans as a flesh and blood human rather than the trophy black friend he might have made in college just to prove how down with wokeness he was.
As for Evans, his character is someone desperately trying to make his way honorably in a world that seemingly hates him, not wanting anything to do with his drug selling uncle which leads to a knife accident that sends him on the run. He takes on a job as Arnaz's first mate on the two man voyage, and it takes a few blows from each one for them to wake up and see how much they need each other. Color lines disappear and human beings take its place, and a warmness between them comes in after dealing with an ocean storm and an attacking shark. The two sitcom actors give wonderful fully drawn performances, and the audience not only roots for them to survive but to maintain their newly found brotherhood after its all over. In just 75 minutes, so many lessons are learned, creating a TV movie classic.
As for Evans, his character is someone desperately trying to make his way honorably in a world that seemingly hates him, not wanting anything to do with his drug selling uncle which leads to a knife accident that sends him on the run. He takes on a job as Arnaz's first mate on the two man voyage, and it takes a few blows from each one for them to wake up and see how much they need each other. Color lines disappear and human beings take its place, and a warmness between them comes in after dealing with an ocean storm and an attacking shark. The two sitcom actors give wonderful fully drawn performances, and the audience not only roots for them to survive but to maintain their newly found brotherhood after its all over. In just 75 minutes, so many lessons are learned, creating a TV movie classic.