THE WATER'S FINE, BUT REST OF THE STORY'S ALL WET.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic Not content to be a good little slice-of-life story about three surfer girls trying to find their way between sets on the North Shore, ``Blue Crush'' gives us a couple of other movies, neither of which we really need or want. There's a ``Cinderella'' story featuring the main surfer girl, Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth), and her romance with a pint-size Pro Bowl quarterback (Matthew Davis
Matthew Davis (born May 8, 1978) is an American actor. Davis was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and began his acting career at the University of Utah. , who makes Doug Flutie Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie (born October 23, 1962) is a retired American football and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football look like King Kong King Kong giant ape brought to New York as “eighth wonder of world.” [Am. Cinema: Payton, 367] See : Giantism ). And there's also the obligatory underdog sports story with Anne Marie trying to overcome past demons Demons See also devil; evil; ghosts; hell; spirits and spiritualism. ademonist one who denies the existence of the devil or demons. bogyism, bogeyism recognition of the existence of demons and goblins. and long odds to become a top-flight surf competitor. Neither of these stories ventures far off some pretty well-worn paths and seem to be included simply because the producers of ``Blue Crush'' believe that today's young moviegoers aren't capable of handling a little bit of grit without a large dose of fantasy. That's too bad "That's Too Bad" is the debut single by Tubeway Army, the band which provided the initial musical vehicle for Gary Numan. It was released in February 1978 by independent London record label Beggars Banquet. , because the grit here is great, and the ocean photography is positively exhilarating. The story: Anne Marie had the makings of a world-class surfer before a wipeout and a bump on the noggin nog·gin n. 1. A small mug or cup. 2. A unit of liquid measure equal to one quarter of a pint. 3. Slang The human head. [Origin unknown. made her tentative when it comes to tackling the big waves. She lives in a beach shack on the North Shore of Oahu with her two best friends, Eden (Michelle Rodriguez) and Lena (Sanoe Lake), and her rebellious little sister Penny (Mika Boorem). It's a living
2. lilo - first-in first-out. & Stitch,'' except here mom and dad haven't died, they've just abandoned their brood. Anne Marie is training to compete in a big surf competition, but her determination is derailed by her fears and a blooming romance with Davis' quarterback, who's in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. She teaches him to surf, he teaches her to believe in herself, and the movie teaches us that a supportive boyfriend character can be just as boring as the typical doting dote intr.v. dot·ed, dot·ing, dotes To show excessive fondness or love: parents who dote on their only child. [Middle English doten. girlfriend. Just as he did with Kirsten Dunst in last year's ``crazy/beautiful,'' director John Stockwell demonstrates a convincing ability to tell the story of a strong young woman dealing with a broken spirit. Equal to that achievement here is the way Stockwell and his camera operators convey both the pure beauty and fearsome terror of the ocean. While the surfing sequences are beautifully done, the best shots in the movie are the wipeouts, where the converging waters pound the participants as if they're inside a washing machine. The locals on the North Shore don't have to worry about any tourists encroaching on their territory. These waves will keep more people out of the ocean than ``Jaws.'' BLUE CRUSH - Two and one half stars (Rated PG-13: sexual content, teen partying, language and a fight) Starring: Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, Sanoe Lake, Matthew Davis. Director: John Stockwell. Running time: 1 hr. 44 min. Playing: Wide release. In a nutshell: Great surfing scenes drowned out by too many story lines. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Mika Boorem, left, Michelle Rodriguez, Kate Bosworth and Sanoe Lake share a home - and a love of surfing - in ``Blue Crush.'' |
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