Movie Reviews
Surfer, Dude is Makin’ Waves
Armond Richards |
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 Many people spend their lives in search of something pure to give them some higher degree of purpose. It is not anything you can arbitrarily come by through a simple stumble along a particular path, it is something that comes to you through fate or whatever other mystical force happens to be guiding the good and bad of your life. Sadly, many people do not recognize that avatar of happiness for what it is. They miss out on unbridled joy because if naivety, a lack of courage or just plain ignorance, and end up spending the rest of their lives wandering through their days devoid of that special something that would have brought them that much closer to heaven.
Steve Addington is a man who had the courage to face his joy head-on and embrace it without the crassness to look back. His vessel of pleasure: surfing. His office is the ocean, his suit is a pair of black-and-white striped shorts, his vehicle is a surfboard and all these things make his life perfect. His world is rich and pure and, like all untapped treasures, there is always someone who wants to take it without any thought to the effects it will have on someone else’s universe.
Steve Addington is the main character in the new film Surfer, Dude. The movie stars Matthew McConaughey as Addington, the Zen soul surfer who returns to his hometown of Malibu only to find his purist vibe tainted by the big-money sponsors trying to get him to participate in the digitizing of his natural existence. When he refuses to give in to the superficiality, he suddenly finds himself alone. His expense accounts have been frozen, his friends have gone over to the “darker side” of the surf industry and the worst, his beloved California waves have left him landlocked and without a surf to surf on. Desperate, Steve begins to take drastic actions in his life in order to somehow pay homage to the surfing gods. He gives up the activities he loves so much, which include his recreational use of marijuana, his celibacy and food in general. Much like the prophets in the Old Testament, Steve finds his resolve constantly tempted and tested. Eventually, his world begins to right itself as his selfless acts of perdition begin to bear positive results that ultimately renew the basic and simple world that he has thrived so much in.
 There could not have been better casting for this film. McConaughey might actually be the physical embodiment of mellow. His portrayal of Steve’s purist sense of surfing comes across the screen as if McConaughey himself was birthed upon a surfboard. Don’t allow the magic of cinema to fool you, though, because McConaughey actually did not learn how to surf until preproduction--but we all know that that is what acting is all about.
Surfer, Dude is overabundant with a surfer’s philosophy and does its best to explain the truths of situations utilizing a SoCal dialect. Incredibly, there are many lines that one could guide their life by and the world would be a much more peaceful place. This one is my personal favorite: “Herb can get you through times with no money better than money can get you through times with no herb.”
Now, I understand the absolute illegality of recreational drug use, but the word herb can easily be substituted to be anything that alters your perception of how you think the world works. Money cannot solve all of your problems, but an adjusted social perception can do unbelievable wonders to an unimagined life.
 Over the course of the last few days, I have discovered an interesting paradox about the way I interpret life. I look at the most solemn of situations and laugh them off without a second thought and certainly with no regret. However, when I become confronted with an absurdly comedic and outlandish occasion, I can’t help but try to apply the lessons to be found to somehow better my life. I know it’s weird, but I found myself utterly immersed in this film, absorbing the lessons to be taught and rewinding the movie so as to not miss any grain of knowledge. When you are watching Surfer, Dude, do your best not to chuckle at McConaughey completely nailing the role of soul surfer Steve Addington. Instead, try to embrace the point of view expressed by a man who had found that one thing in life that makes him breathtakingly happy. You just might discover the courage to find your own wave to ride on.
Surfer, Dude is now playing in Los Angeles and Orange County.
For more information, visit surferdudethemovie.com.
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