BLUE CRUSH

US, 2002, 104 minutes, Colour.
Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, Matthew Davis, Sanoe Lake, Mika Boorem.
Directed by John Stockwell.

What has this light and entertaining surf movie (at least for those who love watching enormous waves swelling and breaking) in common with the clever comedy, Adaptation? When you look at the credits, you will see that it is based on an article, Surf Girls of Maui, by Susan Orlean (the orchid article writer played by Meryl Streep in the film). And that is what Blue Crush is about, surf girls on the north beach of Oahu.

The plot is the old standby: young girl overcomes all obstacles, macho prejudice, falling out with friends, falling in love with the tall, dark and handsome stranger, being haunted by nightmares of hitting her head on a rock and drowning while surfing, doing a wonderful ride and then being overcome by her fears but urged on by a kindly competitor and then doing the ride of her life. I don't think that that spoils the film - we knew this more or less before the film started.

Kate Bosworth is an energetic school dropout turned hotel cleaning maid turned champion. Matthew Davis is the romantic football star. Michelle Rodriguez is the best friend coach with a touch of jealousy. But the star is the Hawaian coast, the magnificent waves which are filmed from a distance, close-up and under and within with special handheld cameras - and with pounding sound engineering. Enjoyable but not deep except when the waves send the capsized surfers under.

1. The popularity of surfing, the tradition of surf movies? Men as surfers? The focus on women as surfers?

2. The original article on which the film was based, the women surfers of Maui?

3. The Hawaiian locations, the coast, the towns, the resorts, the hotels? The musical score and songs?

4. The water photography, the cameras for getting within the waves, the dramatic impact of the visualising of the waves, their crashing, their weight, their dangers, the exhilaration of the surfers? The sound engineering for the impact of the sounds of the waves?

5. The focus on the young women, the comparisons with the men, asserting themselves, achievement in their own right? The attitudes of the men, criticism, spurning? Others supporting?

6. The focus on the group, their rooming together, their school background, dropping out, working in the hotel, their work as maids, their enjoying it, trying on the dresses, their disgust at the footballers' filthy rooms? Anne-Marie? giving a lecture to the surfer about his room? The discipline of the maids, Anne- Marie being sacked, the others resigning? The care for Penny, their mother having left, Penny and school, her rebelling, hanging out in the clubs? Her support of her sister?

7. The focus on Anne- Marie, age and experience, her skill with the surf? The nightmares and her drowning, hitting her head? The reality later in the competition? Her relationship with the rest of the girls, getting them up, surfing, practice with Eden? Carrying the weight underwater, endurance tests? Her skills, the work, the lecture to the footballer, the encounter with Matt, attracted, his company, Eden criticising her for letting practice go, the relationship? His support? The build-up to the competition, the men and their taunting her? Her initial success, her fears, the nightmares, going out on the waves, her competitor urging her on and her success in going through the Pipestream? Her not winning but knowing her personal achievement?

8. Matt, the footballer, genial, with Anne- Marie, the phone call from his niece, their time together, the relationship, its future? The lessons and the payment? His supporting her during the competition?

9. Eden, her relationship with Anne- Marie, jealousy, urging her on, moody, the training, spurning Matt? The competition and her urging her on? The contrast with Lena and her easygoing style, friendship, surfing, support?

10. The men, surfing, taunting, fighting Matt? The macho style? Their admiration for Anne- Marie and her success? Getting the photo taken with Matt because he was a sports star?

11. The footballers, the wealth, the expensive rooms, the management and the service to the footballers, no matter what they did? Their getting lessons from Anne- Marie and the others, the collage of their training and working on the waves?

12. The drama of the waves, the Pacific Ocean around Hawaii, the magnitude of the waves, the ability of the surfers, the surfers' community and their exhilaration in their sport?