I saw this film in the theater when it was released and absolutely loved it. I don't surf but have always wanted to. I watched the film again on my computer and that only doubled my desire again, to want to surf.
Director Dana Brown-whose father Bruce directed the legendary surfing film "Endless Summer"-captures the "stoke" (passion) felt by surfers in places as varied as Vietnam and Wisconsin. The movie is not complicated. Brown visits various places where a variety of not-necessarily-typical-surfer-types (along with legendary big wave surfer Laird Hamilton) pursue their passion. We hear from long-time buddies surfing in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, we see surfers in the Gulf of Mexico surfing behind the swell left by supertankers, and we follow Dana to Vietnam where his crew tracks the surfers at one of two surfing clubs in that country.
It is hard to communicate how surfing makes one feel and it is a challenge for Brown. Nonetheless, he tries and I felt I appreciated how much the surfers enjoyed what they were doing, regardless of the size or the waves' origins. The surfing footage is fantastic and the joy felt by surfers is impossible to dislike. The pure joy felt by surfers is a welcome respite from the troubles of the world and Brown captures it expertly.
Director Dana Brown-whose father Bruce directed the legendary surfing film "Endless Summer"-captures the "stoke" (passion) felt by surfers in places as varied as Vietnam and Wisconsin. The movie is not complicated. Brown visits various places where a variety of not-necessarily-typical-surfer-types (along with legendary big wave surfer Laird Hamilton) pursue their passion. We hear from long-time buddies surfing in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, we see surfers in the Gulf of Mexico surfing behind the swell left by supertankers, and we follow Dana to Vietnam where his crew tracks the surfers at one of two surfing clubs in that country.
It is hard to communicate how surfing makes one feel and it is a challenge for Brown. Nonetheless, he tries and I felt I appreciated how much the surfers enjoyed what they were doing, regardless of the size or the waves' origins. The surfing footage is fantastic and the joy felt by surfers is impossible to dislike. The pure joy felt by surfers is a welcome respite from the troubles of the world and Brown captures it expertly.