Director: Steve Grimaldi | Runtime: 84 minutes | Genre: Drama, Family
We know a particular kind of ambition that belongs to children; it is quite loud, unapologetic, and wonderfully unreasonable. A child can wake up on a Monday convinced they are destined to conquer the world, fail spectacularly at something by Tuesday, and still find the courage to try again on Wednesday. Somewhere along the way, many of us lose that audacity. We become preoccupied with measuring ourselves against other people, forgetting that the most important competition is the one we have with yesterday's version of ourselves. Steve Grimaldi's The Greatest Ever is a gentle but rather powerful reminder of that truth, delivered through two little girls who have very different ideas about what it means to be extraordinary.
Meet Riley Waters, a warmhearted dreamer with Level 1 autism, whose determination to become the greatest ever is matched only by her uncertainty about what she is actually going to be great at. Riley approaches life with an admirable conviction that she can excel at anything she puts her mind to. She gives softball a fair attempt, moves on to gymnastics, and continues exploring different activities, even when her efforts do not quite produce the results she hopes for. But Riley is not particularly interested in accepting defeat. She wants to find her thing, the one place where her imagination and abilities can finally meet.
Eventually, she discovers painting, and this is where things become particularly delightful. Riley's imagination seems to have no interest in observing the ordinary boundaries of everyday objects. She begins to see possibilities where other people see familiar things, giving life to the world around her through her artwork. It is a lovely progression, watching a child who has been searching for her particular greatness finally discover an avenue through which she can express herself.
Then there is Rachel Waters, Riley's little sister, an outstanding singer with a voice that could summon goosebumps from the most unsuspecting listener (which is me). Rachel possesses a remarkable musical gift, but unlike Riley, she does not necessarily want to be extraordinary. She wants to be normal. She wants to exist without the expectations that come with being seen as someone remarkable.
And this is where the film becomes more interesting than its title initially suggests. While Riley is desperately searching for something that will make her the greatest, Rachel is wrestling with the pressure of being recognised for a talent she does not always want to define her. They are sisters, but their relationship with their own abilities could not be more different. One wants to prove that she can be exceptional, while the other simply wants permission to be an ordinary little girl.
I particularly enjoyed how the film allows these two perspectives to coexist without turning either child into a lesson for the other. Riley's determination is admirable, but Rachel's desire for normalcy is equally understandable. Being gifted does not mean a child must perform that gift for everyone, just as having a neurological condition does not mean a child must spend their life proving they are capable of greatness.
The performances are one of the film's strongest assets. Alexandra Bradley, who plays Riley, deserves special recognition for carrying the emotional centre of the story. Her portrayal gives Riley a warmth and sincerity that make her ambitions easy to root for. Cate Elefante, as Rachel, deserves applause just as much. Her musical performances are particularly memorable, and that voice! There are moments when her singing practically envelops the screen, leaving you with goosebumps.
The chemistry between the two actresses is a significant part of what makes the film work. Their performances give the sisterly relationship its emotional credibility, allowing the audience to appreciate both the affection and the differences between them.
Mauricio Vasquez's cinematography complements the film's gentle approach, while Grimaldi's direction keeps the focus on the girls and their individual journeys. It has a sincerity to it, and I truly do appreciate the filmmaking. Rather than turning Riley's condition into a spectacle or making her journey an exercise in pity, the story allows her to be ambitious, imaginative, occasionally unsuccessful and, above all, a child with her own personality and aspirations.
I also think the film's central message is worth sitting with, particularly because of one line from Rachel that stayed with me:
"You don't have to be the world's greatest, you just need to be your greatest." - Riley Waters
We are so accustomed to competing with other people that we sometimes forget to pay attention to our own progress. We measure our achievements against somebody else's milestones, compare our talents, our careers, our appearances, and even our personal journeys, as though life were one enormous competition with a single trophy waiting at the finish line.
But what happens when we stop looking sideways?
What happens when we simply concentrate on becoming better than the person we were yesterday? There is freedom in that kind of thinking. You do not have to be the most talented person in the room. You do not have to have the loudest achievements or the most impressive accomplishments. You simply have to discover what matters to you, give yourself room to grow and recognise that your version of greatness does not have to resemble anybody else's.
I suspect this is precisely what Grimaldi wants audiences to take away from the film. And I appreciate that he chooses to communicate it through children, whose ambitions and insecurities are often dismissed by adults who assume they know what is best for them.
There is also something particularly commendable about the recognition Alexandra Bradley has received, winning Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film at the 2025 Young Entertainer Awards. Cate Elefante was also nominated in the Lead Actress category. Both performances deserve attention, and their work together is central to the film's emotional appeal.
I think Steve Grimaldi and his entire crew are on a mission with The Greatest Ever: to remind children, parents, and anyone who has ever doubted their abilities that greatness is not reserved for a particular kind of person. You can have a neurological condition, you can struggle to find your talent, you can take several wrong turns before discovering what you love, and none of that makes your ambitions any less valid. The Greatest Ever is a warmhearted family drama with a message that extends well beyond childhood. It reminds us that our abilities do not have to look alike, our ambitions do not have to follow the same route, and our worth should never be determined by how we measure up against somebody else.
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