CHASING MAVERICKS (Curtis Hansen and Michael Apted, 20th Century Fox, 2012)

Know this right now. It is impossible for me to write anything about CHASING MAVERICKS (Curtis Hanson and Michael Apted, 20th Century Fox, 2012) without gushing like a giddy school girl discussing her first crush. I read the script a few weeks back and it had me simultaneously near tears and fully stoked to paddle across Monterey Bay. With this level of expectation it would be easy for a film to fall under that much weight, to get crushed like a kook going over the falls at Mavericks. And while the film doesn't fail miserably it doesn't succeed in the way I wanted it to. This in no way means I wasn't completely and utterly captivated and fully stoked! I don't often like to read a script just prior to a films release as it, like reviews or blogs, tend to give me a distorted view upon watching the film. With CHASING MAVERICKS there was quite simply no option when it came to reading it. I am completely obsessed with surfing; I think about surfing constantly. So if a movie about surfing is coming out not much is stopping me from seeing it immediately. When the script came my way a few weeks back of course I read it. And this is the immediate problem I see with the film, the finished product doesn't match the written word. The narrative to the film is a great one. The tale of Jay Moriarity (Jonny Weston) is one of inspiration and pride. His story makes me want to be not only a better surfer but a better person and his story gives me great pride in that I do surf and I do strive to reach an ideal he sets forth. This narrative is well developed and involving with complete character development and full story arcs. It is at times humorous and at others full of emotion and love. The father/son dynamic to the story is touching and hits me on a personal level. Yet the film as a whole falls flat, something is missing. All the ingredients are there only it's as if they didn't follow the directions in putting everything together. And this is a shame because this could have been a great film otherwise. What is done remarkably is the casting to the film, the performances turned in by the actors and the chemistry achieved between certain pairings of actors. Each of the top five billed actors does a good job and is good casting for the role. Jonny Weston nails the likability and determination of Jay; his smile and attitude are infectious. This spills over into his relationships within the narrative. The father/son dynamic with Frosty (Gerard Butler) is touching as I mentioned but as they struggle to come to grips with what they mean to each other you find yourself pulling for these two men. The same can be said for Jay and Kim (Leven Rambin), two sweethearts destined for each other. Finally, how great is it to see Elisabeth Shue as Kristy Moriarity, Jay's mother. Was it really twenty five years ago that Shue was Danny LaRusso's teen love interest in THE KARATE KID? One aspect of the film is simply outstanding and that is the cinematography of Bill Pope. There are times when you feel as if you are in the water with the performers; maybe paddling across the bay, maybe surfing some ten foot swell. They also did not appear to use a tank for any shots (one of the most maddening things mainstream surf films do, think Point Break). What Pope did successfully is he made the wave at Mavericks a character within the narrative. Looming large and foreboding, the wave was a menacing force, something to be taken with life or death seriousness. The spectacular cinematography in the film helped humanize the wave as well as adding gravity to the narrative. I felt Pope did the most remarkable work in the film unless that was truly Gerard Butler surfing early in the film. Damn, not only is he a good actor starring in films with beautiful women but he surfs that well? Some guys have all the luck! I guess all I can do is try to live like Jay.