Blue Crush

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Blue Crush
movie poster for the film
Directed by	John Stockwell
Produced by	Brian Grazer
Written by	Lizzy Weiss John Stockwell
Starring	Kate Bosworth Michelle Rodriguez Matthew Davis Sànoe Lake Mika Boorem
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	16 August 2002
Running time	105 mins
Language	English
Budget	~$30,000,000
IMDb profile

Blue Crush is a 2002 surfer film directed by John Stockwell and based on the Outside magazine article "Surfer Girls of Maui" by Susan Orlean. Starring Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez and Sànoe Lake, it tells the story of three friends who have one passion: living the ultimate dream of surfing on Hawaii's famed North Shore.

1 Plot Summary
2 Filming
3 Trivia
4 External links

[edit] Plot Summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Kate Bosworth in Blue Crush

Anne Marie Chadwick (Kate Bosworth), Eden (Michelle Rodriguez), and Lena (Sànoe Lake) are best friends. Anne Marie and her friends have been raising her 14-year-old sister, Penny (Mika Boorem), ever since their mom took off with a boyfriend. While Penny's at school, Anne Marie, Eden, and Lena work as maids at a large resort hotel, but more importantly, they're surfers. Anne Marie rises every morning before dawn to train for her surfing comeback. She was once considered a rising star in women's surfing and competed as a youth, but a near-drowning incident temporarily halted her career and left her with deep-seated fears. Her friends, especially Eden, have encouraged her to try it again.

Anne Marie has entered an upcoming surfing competition at the famed North Shore surf spot, Pipeline. She hopes to gain the attention of sponsors and get herself and her friends out of the near-poverty they're living in. As Pipe gets closer, Anne Marie struggles to keep Penny under control and deal with her own personal issues.

At work Anne Marie meets Matt Tollman (Matthew Davis), an NFL quarterback in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. Matt is there with several of his rowdy teammates and instantly becomes attracted to the blonde surfer. Through a series of "chance" encounters she agrees to teach him how to surf. Her acceptance of a non-local begins to cause friction between her and many of the young men in her social circle.

On the day of Pipeline, Anne Marie wipes out during her first heat. She is shaken, but Matt tells her a story about his first game as a quarterback and helps her regain her shaken confidence. Determined, but still afraid, Anne Marie returns to the water. Competing in the same heat is Keala Kennelly, one of the first professional female surfers, playing herself. Keala pushes Anne Marie to take a good wave, and Anne Marie manages to score perfectly. Although she doesn't advance to the next heat, she has regained that last confidence, but more importantly, the notice of sponsors.

[edit] Filming

The movie was shot primarily on the island of O`ahu, including the North Shore, Waikīkī, and the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina. The production depended heavily on local talent. Many of the characters in the film are portrayed by real surfers found on the North Shore. The fresh talent lent some raw energy to the film and kept the action real. All the surfing takes place in the ocean; no green screens or tanks were used.

While the actresses did learn to surf, some of the more difficult surfing scenes were not only dangerous, but impossible, for the newbies to perform. Some of the world's top female surfers, including ones featured in the original magazine article, surfed the larger waves for the film. The actresses' faces were later digitally superimposed on the surfers.

[edit] Trivia

Tagline: If you want to feel the rush you have to take the risk.
Sanoe Lake is a professional surfer sponsored by Billabong, among others.
Michelle Rodriguez did all her own jet ski stunts.
Director John Stockwell found Ruben Tejada, who plays JJ, outside of a grocery store and liked him so much he cast him in the movie.
Both John Stockwell and producer Brian Grazer are avid surfers.
Many other locals were used as both actors and surf doubles.
Blue Crush was filmed on the Island of O'ahu in the towns of Pupukea, Haleiwa, Kaaawa, Ko'olina.