Blue Crush review

The secret to pitching a movie these days is to be able to condense its essence to a simple, sugar coated line that makes it easy to swallow. It's why studios would baulk at making Citizen Kane but are all too happy to make a film about girl surfers in Hawaii. Blue Crush's appeal is obvious. And while it would be easy to point to its all too apparent weaknesses - banal dialogue, wafer thin plot - it would be a churlish exercise. Blue Crush promises nothing more than girls in bathing suits, beautiful scenery and some adrenalin fuelled surfing action. The fact that it more than makes good on its promise is a bonus.

Blue Crush provides a shallow, but engaging glimpse into the life of a female surfer while evoking the youthful carefree exuberance of surf culture. For a little under two hours, the film whisks you away on a sun-kissed holiday, with only the tribulations of some independent teens disturbing the tranquillity. The film was a labour of love for A Beautiful Mind's Oscar winning producer Brian Grazer, a surfing fanatic who's long dreamed of bringing his beloved sport to the big screen. It's a passion that is easy to understand after watching the dramatic surfing sequences, which take you inside and under the waves to stunning effect.

The plot, which is only employed to kill time between the surfing scenes, revolves around Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth) who is preparing for the upcoming Pipeline Masters competition, taking place on Oahu's fabled North Shore. Anne Marie shares a ramshackle beach home with her two girlfriends Lena (Sanoe Lake) and Eden (Michelle Rodriguez) and her rebellious younger sister Penny (Mika Boorem) who Anne Marie takes care of due to their mother's abandonment. For Anne Marie, the event, with its towering waves, carries an additional fear as it's being held at the sight of her near drowning three years earlier.

Anne Marie's preparations get sidetracked when she meets Matt (Matthew Davis), an NFL quarterback, at the hotel where she and her friends are employed as maids. Soon, the only surfing she's doing is between the sheets, upsetting the tough Eden, who's concerned she's blowing her competition chances and her dream of going professional. But for Anne Marie, the thought of confronting her fears is one she's happy to postpone, if only for a while.

Bosworth, who learnt to surf for the role, possesses an unaffected, natural warmth which suits perfectly director John Stockwell's feelgood approach. Blue Crush may not provide the excitement and thrill of surfing the wall of a giant wave, but it's an entertaining ride nonetheless.