Row – Movie Review (2/5)

ROW is a new survival thriller that takes place mostly on a fairly small rowboat crossing the Atlantic. It could have been much better, and that’s not to say it’s bad. Unfortunately, it just isn’t good either. Read our full Row movie review here!

ROW is a survival thriller told via flashbacks from the survivor of a failed world record attempt. This is not a spoiler, but the very beginning of the story. And I am admittedly a sucker for a good survival story, so we’re off to a great start.

Unfortunately, and I am sorry to begin with that particular word, it did not live up to the expectations I had. There was just too much about the characters and the plot that didn’t work for me.

Continue reading our Row movie review below. Find it in UK theaters from September 5, 2025.

Row, row, row your boat

I am honestly fascinated by the idea of crossing the Atlantic by boat. Not in the sense that I want to do it, but I have loved reading about (or watching interviews with) people who have done it.

Especially when someone has rowed across the Atlantic by themselves, just one person. What I’m getting at is simply that on paper, Row is a movie that speaks to me.

When Row opens, it’s with a young woman (Bella Dayne), who has just washed ashore in Scotland. She’s on a blood-stained rowing boat, which indicates that something brutal and tragic has happened.

What happened on the boat?

However, the young woman is suffering from memory loss, and her memories need to be coaxed out. What she does know is that she was part of a trans-Atlantic world record attempt.

Also, due to the blood on the boat and her crewmates nowhere to be found, they are all presumed dead. In other words, she is the only one who has the answers. Including the memories that will hopefully show she hasn’t hurt anyone.

Again, a great starting point, but very early on, it gets problematic.

For me, the biggest problem is that they seem grossly unprepared. Or, at the very least, very under-prepared. Also, a newcomer is added to the four people attempting to break this world record, at the very last second.

I cannot imagine that this would ever happen. Sure, there is timing and the desire to just “do it” despite this change, but it’s also a dangerous trip, so why risk it?! Overall, most (all?) characters will act in ways that make them unlikable.

I am not a fan of that. Nuanced and fleshed-out characters? Yes, please. But a bunch of jerks that seem to be winging it a little too much? No, thank you.

Watch Row in theaters 

Row is directed by Matt Losasso, who also co-wrote it with Nick Skaugen, the co-star of the movie. Honestly, a few small tweaks (and a few bigger ones) would have made this movie work so much better.

The cast of Row does actually deliver what the script demands, so I can’t fault them. You can look forward to seeing Bella Dayne (Humans), Sophie Skelton (Outlander), Akshay Khanna (Murderbot), and writer Nick Skaugen on the boat.

I do want to mention that maybe I was just expecting something else, because the movie has done well at film festivals. It’s at an IMDb rating of 5.1 as of writing this review, but it also won the Best UK Feature award at Raindance Film Festival 2025.

Following its theatrical release, Row will also be out on Digital and DVD from September 29, 2025.

This is a strong debut, but (for me, anyway) it also leaves something to be desired. It has lots of scenes that feel like something straight out of a psychological horror movie, and I adored those moments. In other words, there is lots of potential.

Row is out in UK theaters from September 5, 2025. We will update this with a US release date when available.

Details

Director: Matthew Losasso
Screenwriters: Matthew Losasso, Nick Skaugen
Cast: Sophie Skelton, Bella Dayne, Akshay Khanna, Nick Skaugen, Mark Strepan