Although George Clooney's character, Captain Billy Tyne, is obviously attracted and drawn to fellow boat captian Linda Greenlaw, played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, his true love is the sea.

Tyne's first mate, Bobby Shatford (Mark Wahlberg) is a down-to-earth portrayal of innocence and blind admiration.

In just a few scenes, we feel the honesty and intensity of his relationship with Christina Cotter (Diane Lane) and his devotion to his captain and the sea.

        And, of course, we cannot ignore the intensity of the storm. With the help of some fairly impressive special effects, director Wolfgang Petersen recreates the storm of October 1991. The Hollywood magic created here is second only to nature. And what one hell of a wave!

        Ethel Shatford (Janet Wright) helps anchor and define the spirit of the movie; she is the pillar of maternal strength. She bonds with her son Bobby and his sweetheart Christina to reinforce the sense of family and connectivity. It is the power of love that gets the women through their loss. The ending quote sums up the feeling: "There are no goodbyes...just love."