Review of Surf's Up (2007) by Elana M — 24 Apr 2010

This is a surprisingly good film. Great for parents and kids alike. The animation is beautiful and so realistic, especially the ocean and surfing scenes, where you feel like you are actually in the water and on vacation...really. Great to watch on an ugly rainy day. It will lift your spirits and give your day a little bit of aloha.

Jeff Bridges is lovable as the affable, laid back old timer surfer Big Z whose game has seen a better day. Shia LeBeouf is adorable as Cody Maverick an up and coming, precocious 17 year old surfer who doesn't follow the conventional path to follow his dreams. Jon Heder is perfect as the stoned out, crispy-brained, best buddy chicken surfer dude, and James Woods plays his usual self absorbed and selfish character as a surf contest promoter. Diedrickh Bader, who plays Tank Evans, plays a totally obnoxious and self inflated bad sport champion and it's all very funny. If you can't get away, but need a little vacation, this film actually makes you feel like you have escaped to a lush island and beach. Of all the penguin movies this family has seen, it's our favorite and it's done in a unique documentary style so it has flashbacks, etc. If you love surfing you must see this movie.