August 2002 Blue Crush

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by Monikka Stallworth Blue Crush Based on the magazine article “Surf Girls of Maui” by Susan Orlean, written by Lizzy Weiss and John Stockwell, and directed by John Stockwell (CrazyBeautiful), Blue Crush is a romantic girl-power flick with enough tubular wave action to make even the most sedentary movie-goer consider surf-lessons. Anne Marie(Kate Bosworth) is determined to qualify for the Pipe Masters surf competition on the North Shore of Oahu where the foreboding waves have been known to disgrace, even finish off the best of them. In order to qualify for the Pipe Masters, she must first win a fierce competition within. Living in a tiny beach shack with her best friends, Eden (Michelle Rodriguez) and Lena (Sanoe Lake) and her rebellious younger sister Penny (Mika Boorem), Anne Marie lives for the adrenaline charged surf scene, waking up before dawn to check the breakers. She and her roommates make ends meet working as maids at a ritzy beach hotel and spend down time helping Anne Marie train hard for the qualifying competition. But in order to succeed, Anne Marie must not only conquer her fears, but her libido as well. Enter Matthew (Matthew Davis), a pro quarterback football player on vacation with his rowdy teammates including Leslie (Faizon Love) who makes a comedic splash in tiny, tight speedos. (Grody to the max.) Anne Marie is confronted with the issue of choosing the ecstasy of new love over dedication to the pursuit of her dream. And when she begins to wade in the serene pond of love, its up to her best friends to remind Anne Marie of her tubular wet dreams. It’s a familiar theme that many women face - relationship or career? The trick, of course, is to find the balance. Even better, to find a man that supports your dreams. And that’s exactly what Anne Marie must come to terms with, remaining true to both her dreams and her desire for love. One of the best aspects of Blue Crush is that it surpasses the typical expectation of surfer-dude (or dude-ette) films. There’s not much of that annoying surfer-dude lingo and there are loads of radical action shots that take you to the crest of big swelling waves and also inside the tubes of magnificent blue curls. I must to admit though, a black surfer girl movie titled “Black Girls Can Surf Too” kept paddling through my mind. That, along with a tremendous desire to yell, “Will somebody apply some sunscreen already!” I mean not one of the sunbathed beauties ever applied a dab of zinc-oxide. And we all know how harsh ultraviolet rays can be, right? But I digress. Watching the Blue Crush surfer-girls tirade in bikinis all day, everyday is sure to satisfy boys and men alike. And we girls and women should feel sublimely empowered. Universal Pictures Blue Crush opens August 16th nationwide.