Chasing Mavericks
2012 Directed by Curtis Hanson
Synopsis
Legends Start Somewhere
Surfer Jay Moriarity sets out to ride the Northern California break known as Mavericks.
Cast
Studios
Popular reviews
More-
Warning: The 3rd paragraph from the end has a big plot spoiler. Skip that paragraph if you're desperate to see this film unspoiled.
Brad Paisley once joked that he only writes song lyrics to give himself an excuse to get to the guitar solos. That's what I think has happened here. Director Curtis Hanson can't wait to give us breathtaking ocean views and superb surfing action. And make no mistake, they are definitely spectacular. It's a gorgeous film.
Unfortunately, unless you're making a documentary, you've got to fill your movie with some characters. Preferably, they need to be characters about whom the audience gives a damn. Believable and empathetic characters require solid acting and realistic dialogue. We have got to…
-
I love surfing films. THE ENDLESS SUMMER, RIDING GIANTS, STEP INTO LIQUID, BIG WEDNESDAY, etc. The sloooowwwwwww moving cinematography of the water, crashing waves and music always tends to relax me. I would've loved to have grown up in an area where I could've at least tried surfing myself. Something I honestly missed out in my childhood, that I always wanted to do.
CHASING MAVERICKS is a mostly harmless, kid-friendly surfing movie and is the inspirational true story of American surfer Jay Moriarity. I had heard of this fellow before, but never knew his story and I found this film to be an engaging, entertaining look at his life. Saying anything else will spoil the film, really. If you know…
-
True Story Drama, Gerard Butler, Jonny Weston, Elisabeth Shue
A really good feel good movie, sure it's mostly predictable but what feel good isn't? I enjoyed pretty much most of the movie, it's run time is just under two hours and for most movies of this type at the hour and a half mark your either glad it's done or wish it was, but I didn't have that feeling with this. Because of that this must be a little better than most. Now I don't know any thing about surfing I live in Alaska and have lived here most my life so I can't speak to its realism, but I can say it was fun and looked cool, especially the BluRay with the beaches and ocean scenes. It's for sure worth the rent but I doubt I'll buy it.
-
Legends Start Somewhere
I was supposed to see this movie in local movieplex but then it disappeared from scheduling. I kinda forgot about it but then I picked it up on blu-ray. After seeing it I can tell you that it is a shame I did not see it in theater. Sadly, I see that it was a box-office flop, costing 20mil$ and earning near 8mil$.
I loved this movie. First of all I did not know that it was based on a true story. That got my attention at the beginning of a movie. And then it rolled. It had a worm life story about how amazing one person can be, and people who are there to help him…
-
It was a good "bad" movie, felt like a throwback to another era.
Since we live in a surfing neighborhood I enjoyed seeing a depiction of Northern California surf life in the early 90s. -
hands down best film I have ever seen.
Recent reviews
More-
A good inspirational biopic.
-
Actually a decent treatment of surfers or being a surfer - mainly the atmosphere or feeling of being outside, in the waters and the waves. The major plot element is the big waves, or mavericks. Involves the training of a young man with above average surfing skills to handling those waves by a sand-roughened veteran surfer played by Gerard Butler. With a side family issues.
-
¨There are all kinds of sons. Some are born to you, some just occur to you.¨
Chasing Mavericks is based on the life of Jay Moriarity, a young surfer who at the age of 15 managed to surf one of the biggest waves in California during the tropical storm El Niño. Unfortunately the film is full of clichés and one dimensional characters. I don´t have any complaints with the scenes that take place in the Ocean, the big waves and surfing scenes are fun to look at. I didn’t find it hard to believe that this kid could surf such big waves, what I found hard to believe is that this kid would act and speak the way he did…
-
Realistisk, tänkvärd och djup.
-
A few very conveniently and too obvious plot constructions with regards to the main character's love interest. The second act was about twenty minutes too long, and the reason I know that is that I lost interest somewhere in the middle. Gerard butler was a good choice for the role of the mentor, but either the director told him to act that way -which was way too aggressive for a poor kid's mentor- or he did it on his own accord, which I can only interpret as not quite knowing what it means when a person demands respect just by being authoritative and centered. I don't know, -something- was off about his acting. The film's greatest success is undoubtedly the gorgeous photography, soaring wild monster waves look gorgeous on any screen and gives you a feeling of watching a wild life documentary - which adds greatly to the tension in the third act. All in all an ok movie :)
-
Perfectly likeable despite the cliches and reverence with which it views surfing. I actually have some fondness for it. I still can't recommend it without a qualification, but if you're bored on a Sunday afternoon, or want something to watch with the family, give it a go.
-
Boring movie about Surfing and teenager live...
-
This is a film that I wanted to see in the theater, but after I read the reviews and that Curtis took over for Michael Apted, I decided to not see it and kind of forgot about this film until I happened to see it at redbox and I thought that I should see it because I like Curtis Hanson. Hanson has always made such great film and everytime people ask me about films and what I think are great films, I always ask them if they have seen La Confidential or Wonderboys because these are such great classic films that stay with you for years upon years and I knew deep in my heart that this film was not…
-
The predictable plotline isn’t actually the movie’s weakness, but its cheesy plot points are.