The Boys In The Boat The Boys in the Boat is a sports drama based on the #1 New York Times bestselling non-fiction novel written by Daniel James Brown. The film, directed by George Clooney, is about the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. This inspirational true story follows a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world. Written by: Mark L. Smith, based on Daniel James Brown’s novel The Boys in the Boat Genres Drama Starring Joel Edgerton, Chris Diamantopoulos, Callum Turner, Jack Mulhern, Sam Strike, Luke Slattery, Thomas Elms, Tom Varey, Bruce Herbelin-Earle, Wil Coban, James Wolk, Hadley Robinson, Courtney Henggeler Directed By George Clooney Produced By George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Donna Gigliotti