Surfer, Dude

This movie certainly isn't something to watch when you are looking for an action flick. Or anything with a real plot. Its more a sort of stoner wish movie about how most people are caught up in lives they don't want to live. The main character, Addington, is sort of the antithesis of these people - a person who just isn't interesting in doing what he doesn't want to do, and instead just lives to surf and chill (and smoke weed, of course).

As such, its a rather prettily shot movie with lots of weed smoking and hot girls, and laid back characters confronted with modern success and the trappings that come with it. The soundtrack is also great and well timed.

I found it surprisingly entertaining, but you'd have to be in the right mood to watch it and feel you got your money worth like I did.

I rarely do this, and I either feel vindicated or embarrassed doing it, but I went into Surfer, Dude prepared to not like it at all. Matter of fact, I rented the movie (from my library on a 25 cent charge) with the intent to have a good laugh at it, and maybe get in with my wife on a Mystery Science Theater 3000 style poke-and-jab job. As it turned out, by the near of the end of its slim 82 minute running time, we felt the same way: it's not hate-worthy. It's simply too filled with well-intentions to simply stomp and kick the crap out of. While one can argue a lot of misplaced ego-trips go that way (i.e. M. Night Shyamalan) I didn't really sense hubris or too much faulty technical craft going on.

It's simply what it appears to be: a bunch of surfer dudes, and I include in that group the filmmakers and McConaughey, got together after many years of prep (you read that right, many years, like seven according to the DVD making-of) and made a movie for themselves, and the California surfer community. Indeed there's been a minor cult that has risen in California around the movie; screenings spring up with masses of dirty and stoned surfers trudging into the theater ready to soak up the waves. At least, that's my assumption having never been to the California surfing community nor a surfer's cult movie screening. I can't help but wonder if it was for the 'plot' or the 'comedy'.

So why isn't the movie hateful? For one thing, for all of his incessant I-don't-need-to-wear-a-shirt-ness, McConaughey is a likable guy as Steve, a guy who has a craving for a wave, all the time, every time it's possible. There is not much conflict to speak of except this: either Steve rides the wave, or he doesn't, and for much of Surfer, Dude he actually doesn't ride waves but rather try and fend off a corporate leech that wants to sign him up for a reality TV show gig. That's basically the whole movie. Oh, and Willie Nelson shows up as a goat farmer who smokes lots of doobs (of course), and Woody Harrelson pops up from time to time as a, uh, manager of sorts who smokes a lot of doobs (of course) and is sometimes hard to differentiate from McConaughey if not for the shirt situation and, uh, other actors like Jack's father on Lost.

Here's what it comes down to: there are plenty of totally cringe-worthy moments, scenes where laughs are attempted and fall flat, and some lazy cinematography and music and a story that is so easy to read through you know who every character is and what their destination will be within ten seconds of seeing him or her (and that goes for miss wannabe Baywatch star too). And yet, it's also a laid back movie for a niche crowd that doesn't try to please to audiences that aren't meant for it. Maybe I wasn't meant for it either, and I do like some of these actors and comedies with stoners and surfing and waves and uh virtual reality plots hatched by... oh what the hell, it's a retarded puppy of modern movies. It may be stupid, but it's still a puppy!

I generally like movies about surfing - documentaries, fiction and even animated flicks. While this movie started out fine, by the end, I really had no idea why the movie was made. Nothing really happens. Nothing. Furthermore, this movie is actually only 75 minutes long (without the credits)! That's pretty short, but it fits since there isn't really any story.

I did like the beginning though - there are cool surfing shots, lots of specialized surfer lingo, and a cool introduction to McConaughey's character as a legendary surfer. And that was not all, the beginning also gives us an exotic high-tech firm w/3D virtual technology, a surfer reality show and even a flashy/upscale topless beach party (it was very well done!).

However, in terms of where all these elements go, the movie tanks. McConaughey's character walks around confused and dejected because there's no surf ... all while he's continually assaulted by the high tech firm that's pressuring him to sign a contract.

As a movie, it's pretty terrible. However, I must say that I still enjoyed a lot of the above elements for their fun-spirited nature. For the general viewer though, there's definitely no point in seeing this movie.

This film is about a world famous surfer who tries to live according to his ideals, and resists a very generous offer to endorse a surfing video game.

The plot of "Surfer, Dude" is paper thin, so thin that is almost non existent. The film is just 75 minutes long excluding the credits, and there is not even material to cover half of the screen time. Usually when the plot is non existent, there is something else to make up for it. In "Surfer, Dude" there is no fun, no humour, no moral teaching, no witty lines and not even nice scenery to look at. The only thing that they could come up with to keep viewers interested is plenty of nudity by numerous topless women. And seriously, does Matthew McConaughey really need to be topless all the time? "Surfer, Dude" is hence reduced to a narcissistic vehicle for him to expose himself. "Surfer, Dude" is a boring disappointment.

I downloaded this movie recently as part of an attempt to chart Matthew McConaughey's movie career. The IMDb rating definitely made me think twice but since the title suggested harmless banter at worst, I switched it on in the background. Well, I was hooked within the first 15 mins. This movie not bad at all. In fact, I would highly recommend it to anyone who has 2 hours to kill.

McConaughey's performance as Steve Addington, his character build up (3rd party stories around his background etc.), a great lineup of supporting actors and a plot that ends positively. The movie delivers on all counts that make up your average feel good Fri nighter. This one goes beyond in a lot of aspects.

I'm rating this movie a 10 till the score recovers to 6.5.