Overall Rating:
Score: 8.7/10
Grade: A
Family-Friendliness Scale: Level 4 (Great)
Kids ages 9+
Sometimes you have to be brave to do extraordinary things...
Based on a true story, Mavericks showcases the life of surfer Jay Moriarty (Jonny Weston), a 15-year old boy who was saved by his neighbor Frosty (Gerard Butler) from huge waves when he was younger. One day, the high-schooler sneaks onto the back of Frosty's van, and sees his neighbor and a select group of surfers riding the biggest waves ever, called Mavericks. They crash one mile out in the ocean and can be as high as 40 feet!! Jay decides to try and surf them, much to his neighbor's dismay. But with some advice from his wife (Abigail Spencer), he later decides to mentor the child (who's father left for the U.S. Navy when he was 8). If Jay can paddle a surfboard 36 miles and hold his breath for 4 minutes over the course of 12 weeks, he just might be able to ride mavericks.
Positive Notes
Mavericks embraces determination, perseverance, and the importance of family. Jay, despite balancing school and having a job, says his "sirs" and "ma'ams" and he calmly handles bullying from rivals (who he gains respect by the films' end). His spirit to never give up leads him to succeed at surfing those giant waves.
later on). Jay also encourages his mother (Elisabeth Shue) and later considers Frosty to be a dad to him. Frosty also has a family of his own, and when his wife (spoiler alert!) unexpectedly dies of a stroke, he has a hard time moving on, until being encouraged by Jay to do so. His wife says early on, "there are all kinds of sons. Some are born to you, some just occur to you".
The cinematography is excellent, with great shots of California beaches and powerful wave shots (Fact: Gerard Butler was hospitalized briefly during surfing shots last December). The cast does a wonderful job, with Weston, Butler, Spencer, and Shue leading the charge. Chad Fischer does a nice job with the score.
Negative Notes
A few teenagers are seen briefly looking like they are hyped up on drugs. They also are seen giving an unseen substance to one another once. Jay and his friends sneak into a public pool after closing (and strip down to their underwear to swim). A few fights (no one is seriously hurt). One p-word, three misuses of God's name, and Jay is called "little trash" repeatedly. Someone compares a life-changing experience to watching Baywatch. The movie's beginning and ending narrative involve evolution concepts.
Some of the intense waves (and injuries caused by them) may be overwhelming for younger viewers. Sensitive kids and adults will be upset by the death of two main characters.
Conclusion
Like Won't Back Down before it, distributors showed very little confidence in Chasing Mavericks and thus, its' box office performance hasn't even been noticeable. That's a shame, because Mavericks has enough charm, excitement and smarts to make it one of the best films of the year by far.
Let me tell you why. The story is super authentic, the cast shines, and the wave scenes are beautiful and exciting. Plus, it gives us strong lessons in perseverance, bravery, and determination. It speaks very highly of stepping outside of our comfort zone. And its' also a movie that lives up to its' PG rating, with negative content being limited to one mild profanity and a couple of suggested drug/alcohol moments.
Because of this, Mavericks hits its' mark for the demographic it is aiming for (fourth and fifth graders on up). It also ranks alongside Soul Surfer and Courageous as one of the most inspiring and well-done movies of its' generation.
