Chasing Mavericks

This past weekend I watched the biopic Chasing Mavericks which tells the story of surfing legend Jay Moriarty. The film was co-directed between Curtis Hanson (who made the great L.A. Confidential) and Michael Apted (who directed the historical film Amazing Grace). The film follows the "rites of passage" story archetype, where a wet-behind-the-ears character (a young Jay) wants to surf the biggest waves, or mavericks, in Santa Cruz but must be trained by his wise mentor (played the rugged Gerard Butler). I really quite enjoy stories of this type, obviously because they are traditionally motivating and inspiring, but also because I find mentor characters in films to be interesting and entertaining.

One of the main themes throughout Chasing Mavericks is fear and overcoming it. Frosty, the wise mentoring surfer dude, tells Jay about the Four Pillars of Strength: Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual. The film tackles each of these very wisely, except for the last one - there is one scene where Frosty denies his belief in God and this is really the only point the film touches anywhere on spirituality. Without the film-makers becoming too preachy, the film still manages to inspire the viewer through the other three pillars, mostly through the lectures of Frosty and the trials of Jay. The physical trials are obvious, where surfing is shown to be a difficult sport, fighting against the power of the tides and the intense training the characters have to go through. The emotional trials are shown through the relationships between characters, especially with Jay's mother and the childhood friend he struggles to build a romantic connection with. In an unexpected turn, Frosty demands that Jay write him a series of essays on observation and the impact of fear, showing that these surfer dudes are more than just stereotypical beach bums and they can actually think intellectually. The film goes to show that athleticism can be more than just being good at something physical and that there is a mind aspect to this lifestyle as well.

The film's structure builds well, creating a cycle of trial and success through the many conflicts Jay has not only with his mentor, but with friendships, family, love, and the sea itself. The cinematography captures some beautiful images of the sea, both at it's calmest and it's roughest, allowing some interesting choices for the edit of the sequences. The crash of the waves and the calmness of the sea become a metaphor for the path through life: sometimes it is smooth sailing and you can clearly see your goal, but other times you have to fight just to stay on top and the chaos keeps you from keeping your bearings. The editing choices I briefly mentioned also utilize this contrast in the mood of the surf: after the sudden death of a character, the film cuts to a calm sea, brilliantly lit with the white light of the sun - seeming to comment that there is silence now and that a death has occurred without needing to come right out and telling the audience. Another brilliant moment of editing choice is when Jay finally connects with his romantic pursuit and after the girl tells him she loves him they lean forward and kiss in a tight two shot - which deliberately cuts to a crashing wave, the embodiment of Jay's passion. 

The film ends on a low note, however, jumping seven years into Jay's successful surfing career when he drowned in 2001.  This final scene seemed like an out of place footnote to me, being a stark jump from the victory of his maverick conquest. It was difficult to feel a connection to his death as it felt so unemotionally tagged in at the end, and it kind of breaks the pacing of the whole work. The film adds on an inspiring interview clip with the real Jay Moriarty, redeeming itself to expel his life motto: 

"It's about finding that one thing in life that sets you free, but you need to believe in yourself or none of this matters."