Monday, October 20, 2014

THE PERFECT WAVE: TOO MUCH FILLER



I really wanted to like this film. Knowing that it was based on the true life story of evangelist Ian McCormick made me want to know more. But as a movie it left much to be desired. Of all things the biggest problem didn't stem from the source material but from the way the story is told.

Ian McCormick (Scott Eastwood) is a young man with little on his mind except for surfing. In his early twenties with no job prospects in mind, he decides to travel around the world in search of the perfect wave, a surfer's goal. His parents aren't pleased with the idea, especially when he sells his car to pay for the trip, but off he goes with his best friend on his search.

This is where things begin to take a turn for the worse. Not for Ian but for those of us watching. The movie begins to take on the feel of one of those old travelogue movies from the past, showing us highlights of the countries that Ian travels to with a dollop of surfing footage along the way. That footage never lives up to what we've seen in past films, notable THE ENDLESS SUMMER, and just seem like filler here.

In his travels Ian meets a young girl and falls in love with her. But problems follow when his jealous side rises and another opportunity for something deeper is lost in this story. She seems interested in Buddhism but that's never explored. It could have been since the underlying story of this film is one of faith, displayed regularly by Ian's mother (Cheryl Ladd) and lost on Ian. Early in the film he feels no connection to faith because he never hears God speak to him while his mother says she does. This loss of faith becomes the center of the film...except that rather than appear in the center it pops up in the last 15 minutes of the film when a life altering accident takes hold of Ian.

Perhaps it's me. Maybe it's just that I wanted more focus placed on Ian and his conversion, his acceptance of God, rather than a movie that just took us around the world showing different surfing locations. The makers of this film have been involved in numerous faith based movies and perhaps that's why I expected as much. Instead is supposed to be the most important moment in the life of the real Ian McCormick feels like it was tossed in at the last minute.

One interesting note is Scott Eastwood. Yes, he is Clint's son and at moments you will see a camera angle shoot him and be amazed at the family resemblance.  He comes off here as a talented actor and I see good things coming from him down the line. The rest of the cast does a fine job as well. I just wish there were more for them to work with here. 

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