“Chasing Mavericks”: A surfing legend’s true story of overcoming odds
Rating by Dr. Patti: 5 *****
Starring: Gerard Butler, Jonny Weston, and Elisabeth Shue
Director: Michael Apted, Curtis Hanson
I happen to love Gerard Butler; I first felt it when I saw him and heard his magnificent voice in the movie version of “Phantom of the Opera” and I was convinced this guy had that star quality. Since then I haven’t been moved like I was at his fine acting job (and he was the Executive Producer and actually performing the surfing stunts!!!) that he showed us in “Chasing Mavericks”. The young man (Weston) playing the surfing legend, Jay Moriarity, demonstrated his acumen as an emerging fine actor, as well.
I love Santa Cruz county area. I once lived there and have family who still smile and grin with pride and delight about their digs. As you probably know too, I am a big fan of the true story genre. Yeah! Truth is always greater than fiction.
This is a story of an underdog (attacked by schoolyard bullies, from a single mom (Shue) household with a MIA dad, not doing that well in school, from the other side of the tracks, a Santa Cruzer (if you don’t know what that is, go visit Santa Cruz, California some time and walk along the cliffs of the beach towns), and a sort of daredevil kid who works out his woes on the ocean’s wrath!
Anyway you look at this story, it sends chills and thrills into your eyes and mind at the gigantic 30+-foot towering waves (called “mavericks”) that these dudes ride to conquer the impossible, and it rips at your heartstrings from the tale of a man whose own family is not in the best of conditions yet who allows himself to become a guide (make that a COACH) to someone else who really needs him. The themes about love, relationships, finding yourself, and family are strong currents for positive role modeling.
I loved the footage of these blasting, curling, life-threatening walls of water, the little buglike humans who dare to sail on tiny surfboards through them, and the human interest parts of this movie. And perhaps most of all I found the coaching methodologies to ring true for what great coaching is all about: Setting the bar high for your client, creating a workable solution or program with steps to follow, holding your own ground for boundaries and values, believing in the other person, and joining in the relationship with heartfelt regard and unconditional love, all designed for success.
If there is one film I’d go see on the big screen so far this month, it’s this one. See it even if you, like me, never would dream of putting a baby toe in the seaside water. Feel the accomplishments, the love and the power! love, Dr. Patti
