The 15 Best Films About Surfing. In this series of sports-themed articles, we’ll be reviewing the best sports films from auto racing and baseball to tennis and surfing. These Best Of lists will include both popular and lesser-known films from a specific sports film subgenre and our plan is to release each list monthly near a major sporting event.
Though surfing is a year-round event with best conditions during the winter months, it’s also synonymous with the upcoming summer season in North America. In this article, we’re going to review some of the best films about surfing from coming-of-age dramas where surfing is a way of life to a few films with some amazing action-packed surfing competitions. Though most of the best representations of surfers and surfing culture tend to be documentaries, we reviewed every surfing-based film from Big Wednesday (1978) to Chasing Mavericks (2012) to help get you into a surfing mood for summer.
Once we’ve completed the list of best films by individual sport, we’ll have a cumulative article with the absolute 50 best sports films. For now, you can view our tentative schedule below and we’ll try to fit in some articles for some other sports such as Wrestling and Rowing that aren’t typically depicted in many films:
- Best Films About Football
- Best Films About Baseball
- Best Films About Surfing
- Best Films About Basketball
- Best Films About Summer Olympic Sports
- Best Films About Soccer
- Best Films About Running
- Best Films About Tennis
- Best Films About Auto Racing
- Best Films About Hockey
- Best Films About Wrestling
- Best Films About Boxing, MMA & Competitive Martial Arts
- Best Films About Winter Olympic Sports
- The 50 Best Sports Films
For our rankings we’re going to use some criteria to help define and refine our list. First, the film must primarily be about surfing. There are quite a few coming-of-age or ‘summer’ films that take place on a beach that might feature some scenes of surfing but aren’t surfing films. Examples here would include Lifeguard (1976) and Aloha Summer (1988). Lifeguard is about an aging Sam Elliot realizing he cannot be a lifeguard forever and Aloha Summer is a coming-of-age Teen Comedy that explores themes of racism. Other films such as Surf Nazis Must Die (1987) have surf in their title, but don’t have much to do about surfing in general.
Second, since surfing is much more about surf culture than competition, we’ll take into account films that might not show a competitive match but are, in essence, about surfing itself.
Third, we’re going to omit certain films that are primarily in other subgenres. The Shallows (2016) is about a surfer hunted by a shark but primarily a Survival Horror and Animals Attack film. Though there is an incredible surfing scene in Escape from L.A. (1996), it’s a Post-Apocalypse Action Adventure film. And while Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) has a main character, Spicoli, who is a surfer that constantly talks about surfing, it’s primarily a Teen Coming-of-Age film and Sex Comedy.
Fourth, we’re not going to include documentaries on our list – even The Endless Summer (1966). We realize this is considered one of the best (if not THE best) surfing film, but it’s not a film – it’s a documentary. As for some other surfing documentaries, we would recommend The Endless Summer II (1994), Step Into Liquid (2003), Blue Horizon (2004), Riding Giants (2004), Surfwise (2007), Highwater (2009), Under an Arctic Sky (2017), Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton (2017), White Rhino (2018), Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable (2018) and Momentum Generation (2018). You can get a great list of other surfing documentaries from American Surf Magazine.
Fifth, we’re excluding animated kids films for this list so, unfortunately, Surf’s Up (2007) and Surf’s Up: Wavemania (2016) won’t be found here though we do recommend both films for younger kids getting into surfing.
Sixth, we’re also excluding most films of the Beach Party Films subgenre of the 1950s and 1960s as we don’t consider these surfing films. Gidget (1959), Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) and others won’t be making an appearance here.
And seventh, we had to follow our rule for all of KBZ’s film listings where we only list films that have a 4.0/10 or higher rating and were released after 1970.
Our complete list of Sports Dramas features over 587+ films from 1942 – 2024 and our complete list of Sports Comedies features over 254+ films from 1968 – 2024. Though we don’t yet break down films by sports discipline, we will list every individual sport-related film in their respective articles. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to get updated as we release future articles on each sport and add the latest and greatest subgenre films to our collection.
Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
The 15 Best Films About Surfing
Films that didn’t make our list (and only for completists): Surf Ninjas (1991), Johnny Tsunami (1999), The Brice Man (2005), Surfer, Dude (2008) and Dawn Patrol (2015).
Honorable Mentions: Under the Boardwalk (1989), Rip Girls (2000), Shelter (2007), Blue Crush 2 (2001), Beautiful Wave (2011), Ride (2014), Point Break (2015) and Solo (2018).
Ranks 15-1:
#15 In God’s Hands (1998) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#14 Age of Summer (2018) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#13 The Tribes of Palos Verdes (2017) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#12 Drift (2013) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#11 Blue Juice (1995) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#10
Local Boys
Plot: Rebellious Randy Dobson (Eric Christian Olsen) and his sensitive younger brother, Skeet (Jeremy Sumpter), spend most of their summer vacation surfing at the beach while their widowed mother, Jessica (Stacy Edwards), works long hours to support the family. Randy grows close with a girl named Samantha (Shelby Fenner) but lands in trouble with a jealous gang leader (Chaka Forman). Jessica’s new boyfriend (Mark Harmon) gradually becomes a source of comfort for Randy – and distress for Skeet.
KBZ’s Take: Most surfing films follow a Karate Kid (1984) format with a wise, older surfer mentoring his younger apprentice on the spiritual and mental aspects of surfing. These surfing “guides-to-life” are also usually intertwined with typical coming-of-age themes.
Local Boys fits this mold and is more of a Family Drama as the Dobson family welcomes the emotionally wounded Jim (Mark Harmon) into their lives. It’s here where the film shines with Jim taking on a mentoring role for Skeet (Jeremy Sumpter) as he teaches him to surf. Even though the film is a drama, it has some incredible shots of surfing and is why we’re recommending the film on this list.
Where to Stream / Buy: TubiTV
Plot: When deaf garbage man Shigeru (Kurôdo Maki) finds a broken surfboard on one of his runs, it piques his curiosity, even though he has no experience with surfing. So he repairs the board and, with loyal girlfriend Takako (Hiroko Oshima), who also is deaf, he sets out to learn how to ride the waves. He goes through mishaps and the locals mock him. But, with the help of a shop owner who once was a surfing legend, Shigeru may finally have a chance to become one with the sea and the surfing community.
KBZ’s Take: Our lists usually include an obscure film of the subgenre and A Scene at the Sea is our pick here. This film is a bit of a departure for Japanese actor and director Takeshi Kitano who is better known for roles in Battle Royale (2000) and directing action-based crime films such as Boiling Point (1990) and Outrage (2010).
This isn’t a film you should go into expecting either amazing surfing cinematography or action. It’s a very slow and meditative film about a young man discovering the joys of surfing (and love) and eventually competes in a competition. Even if you are not a fan of subtitled films, we would still recommend checking out the film as it has minimal dialogue.
Where to Stream / Buy: YouTube
#8
Breath
Plot: A pair of teenagers in Western Australia looking to escape the monotony of life in a small town take up surfing lessons from a guy named Sando.
KBZ’s Take: Australian actor Simon Baker is best known for his roles in films such as Land of the Dead (2005) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006) as well as his Emmy nominated performance as Patrick Jane in the hit TV series, The Mentalist (2008 – 2015).
Breath is Baker’s debut directorial effort and though the film is a bit rough around the edges, it’s a well told coming-of-age drama based on Australian surf culture in the 1970s.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#7
Blue Crush
Plot: Nothing gets between Anne Marie and her board. Living in a beach shack with three roommates, she is up before dawn every morning to conquer the waves and count the days until the Pipe Masters competition. Having transplanted herself to Hawaii with no one’s blessing but her own, Anne Marie finds all she needs in the adrenaline-charged surf scene – until pro quarterback Matt Tollman comes along…
KBZ’s Take: The Pretty Woman (1990) of surfing films, Blue Crush initially follows a familiar track as Hawaiian local Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth) meets the visiting NFL quarterback Matt Tollman (Matthew Davis). However, most of this familiarity plays out during the first act of the film before it delves into much more interesting themes of island and class culture in the second act leading to an amazing third act featuring the surf competition that has some of the best surfing cinematography of the subgenre.
Most fans of surfing have likely seen this film, but if you haven’t, it’s a surprisingly well-balanced film with equal parts romance and action.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A drought in 1970s Southern California has an unexpected side effect: as people empty their swimming pools, a group of teen surfers from the Dogtown area of Venice Beach move in with skateboards, and a new sport is born. Based on a true story, this film follows Z-Boys skate team members Stacy Peralta (John Robinson), Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk) and Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch), plus manager Skip Engblom (Heath Ledger), as their fearless pool surfing leads to fame, fortune — and misfortune.
KBZ’s Take: Though this film is about the birth of skateboarding in California, it’s as much about skate culture as it is about surf culture. Part drama and part biopic, the film does take some creative liberties with the famous Zephyr skateboard team which is better documented in the Dogtown and Z-Boys documentary.
Though the film has very few surfing scenes, it’s still a film worth checking out for the symbiotic nature between surf and skate. And there’s also the amazing performance by Heath Ledger as skateboard designer Skip Engblom who is on the cusp of fame and fortune but loses it all.
Additional Lists: Top Sports Drama Films You Haven’t Seen #10
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#5
Soul Surfer
Plot: True story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost an arm during a shark attack and overcame incredible odds to win a surfing championship.
KBZ’s Take: Bethany Hamilton is one of the most famous surfers of the sport as her tale of losing an arm to a devastating shark attack has been covered in her autobiography which, in turn, was the basis for both this film and an even better documentary, Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable (2018).
While the documentary is a more straightforward account of Bethany’s life, Soul Surfer is one of the best Inspirational Dramas out there. And though there was some controversy surrounding the film’s Christian faith elements, they’re not overbearing and take a backseat to this incredible tale of courage and determination.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#4
Point Break
Plot: In Los Angeles, a gang of bank robbers who call themselves The Ex-Presidents commit their crimes while wearing masks of Reagan, Carter, Nixon and Johnson. Believing that the members of the gang could be surfers, the F.B.I. sends young agent Johnny Utah to the beach undercover to mix with the surfers and gather information.
KBZ’s Take: Point Break is first and foremost a Caper & Heist Film. But it’s the best film about surfers-turned-bank robbers and surf culture as their motivation for thievery.
There was a 2015 remake of 1991’s Point Break, but it couldn’t quite capture the magic of the original film and the Zen-like nature and allure of Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). It’s also one of Keanu Reeves’ best performances as undercover FBI agent Johnny Utah who gets versed in surf culture and grows too close to the band of thieves.
Additional Lists: Best Heist Films of All Time #3
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#3
North Shore
Plot: On a small stretch of coastline as powerful as a man’s will, Rick Kane came to surf the big waves. He found a woman who would show him how to survive, and a challenge unlike any other.
KBZ’s Take: As we mentioned, Karate Kid is an inspiration for many surf films, and North Shore is no exception. In fact, it follows the 1984 film closely from Rick Kane’s (Matt Adler) move to a new location and struggle with the local bullies to his soul surfer mentor in Chandler (Gregory Harrison) who helps him prepare to “become one with the waves”. You can probably guess how the rest of the film turns out.
Yes, the film is a bit cheesy, unrealistic and hasn’t aged well for a 1980s film. But ask any older surfer what surfing films are in their Top 3 of all time and North Shore is likely near the top. It’s a film with a very familiar story but elevated by some of its amazing footage of Hawaiian surf.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Three 1960s California surfers fool around, drift apart and reunite years later to ride epic waves.
KBZ’s Take: We admittedly had Big Wednesday as our #1 pick until we saw the film which currently resides in our top spot. It was a hard decision as Big Wednesday is one of the best surfing films of all time and usually noted as a definitive film to see for surfing after The Endless Summer (1966).
Big Wednesday is dated a bit as it takes place during the Vietnam War and the social issues at the time are integral to the plot, but it’s also a classic coming-of-age tale where surfing is the cornerstone of the lives of Matt (Jan-Michael Vicent), Jack (William Katt) and Leroy (Gary Busey). It’s a film about growing up in a world gone mad where the only constant in life is the meditative escape of the ocean and its waves.
It’s a great period coming-of-age story that’s made that much better by some of the best scenes of surfing in the entire subgenre. This isn’t a film you want to miss even as it detours into non-surfing subplots of the trio’s lives.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Surfer Jay Moriarity sets out to ride the Northern California break known as Mavericks.
KBZ’s Take: We expect to get some flak from fans of the subgenre for selecting Chasing Mavericks as our #1 film about surfing. But, after watching all the films listed in this article, there was only one film that truly blew us away by both its story and incredible footage of surfing – and that’s the tale of the very real maverick waves in Northern California.
As for the story, it follows the classic Karate Kid formula we’ve mentioned repeatedly in this article. And while it has familiar plot beats, it’s a film elevated by its lead performances – primarily by Gerard Butler as the mentor Frosty and Jonny Weston as the eager apprentice Jay. Their eventual bond in the film comes across as authentic as they both navigate life’s tragedies and setbacks in pursuit of surfing’s legendary crown achievement.
And that brings us to our second point for placing the film in our top spot and making it our highest recommendation of the subgenre – it has the best cinematography of the subgenre. How they captured surfers battling these 60-foot waves is anybody’s guess but it’s as exciting as it is jaw dropping. This is a film worth sitting through for the first two acts (even if you find it overly repetitive plot-wise in the subgenre) to get to the film’s amazing third act.
Chasing Mavericks is a film you won’t be disappointed with as it’s incredible footage of surfers attempting to conquer the maverick waves is made even more incredible when you learn that it’s an actual biopic of surfer Jay Moriarity. We highly recommended film for surfing and non-surfing fans alike.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
