Movies are a great way of learning about ourselves. I argue the reason people are so drawn toward a good movie is because we can extrapolate how to solve life's most complex situations. Movies are something like a fun tutorial for a part of life. It's a handy thing because this way we don't have to mess things up in our lives before we can learn. Today I really want to share with you a movie I think is really underrated yet most useful: Surf's Up.

Idealization

Cody Maverick is a rockhopper penguin living in Antarctica. His greatest passion is surfing. As told to the viewer, he's been surfing ever since he can remember. At the beginning of the movie, he explains how (in this fantastical universe) penguins pioneered surfing. And how a penguin nicknamed "Big Z" was the first penguin to really show what surfing could be all about. Paraphrasing Cody...

The ocean was invented for him. He lived so hard because he wasn't afraid to live. He wasn't afraid to die.

He came to Antarctica when I was just a kid. It's the biggest thing that ever happened here. And suddenly there he was, just floating over the watter. Just hovering, you know? Like, weightless.

He could have walked up to anyone. And he walks right up to me. He gives me this awesome, one-of-a-kind Big Z necklace. And then he tells me: "You know, kid? Never give up. Find a way, 'cause that's what winners do".

He was the greatest, everyone looked up to him, respected him, loved him. And one day, one day I'm gonna be just like him.

Although Cody remembers Big Z coming up to him, the movie shows how Cody pushed his way to the front of the penguins receiving Big Z. And his necklace was not one-of-a-kind; Big Z had brought a pile of them. Cody always had an innate desire for surfing. Perhaps this way of telling the story is a reflection of him wanting to justify his passion to himself and others.

The main problem of the plot is that nobody looks up to surfing in Cody's hometown. In the eyes of everyone there, Cody is a bum, a loser who refuses to grow up, get his shit together, and accept that what he has to do is work hard sorting the fish or hatching eggs like everybody else. This situation brings a complicated dynamic to Cody's family, with his mom and brother being the only ones left. Cody never really knew his father, he was eaten by a whale when Cody was still very young.

Cody's mom finds it difficult to accept Cody's passion, for she also doesn't see how it could bring him a better future. Everybody in the house knows that his family is looked down upon because of Cody's odd hobby. In the words of his brother Glenn: "I mean he's out there in the water, all day, you know, shaking his responsibilities".

Cody works sorting the fish to pacify his mom a little bit. But his dream is to go away, to somehow make it big surfing waves. The plot continues once a talent hunter arrives in town seeking the next big surfer to compete in the 10th annual Big Z memorial surf-off, on the island of Pen Gu.

The Journey Begins

Cody was eager to show the talent hunter what he's got. Unfortunately, that day there were no waves in the ocean. The talent hunter grew tired of waiting and got back on the whale that brought him there. Using the small wave trails created by the whale, Cody chases after the whale. He first is slapped and thrown by the whale's tail before climbing on the side of it, this time being saved by a surfboard extended to him by Chicken Joe, Cody's now-to-be best friend.

Chicken Joe is easily the best character in this whole movie. He has the most laid-back attitude ever. And he encapsulates perfectly what the teaching of this movie is all about. Similarly to Cody, Chicken Joe was the only one around his town that surfed. A lot of people thought he was crazy, but he's used to that. Cody sympathizes with Joe as they make their way to the island of Pen Gu.

Once in Pen Gu, Cody falls in love with Lani, one of the lifeguards watching over the competition. Cody also comes across Big Z's shrine/monument. Cody recalls how that shrine came to be: it's the surfboard Big Z used in his last competition, before dying on "The Boneyards", a section of the beach covered in spiky rocks.

Cody's memory is interrupted by a bonking sound. Big Z's greatest competitor, Tank Evans, was throwing rocks at Big Z's shrine just for fun. Annoyed, Cody throws a rock at Evans to stop him from disrespecting the shrine. Tank notices Cody's necklace and makes fun of him as Big Z's last fan. Before a fight breaks out, the penguins on the island gather and the event organizer proposes that they have a surf-off.

The Hero Fails

Cody is excited, motivated, and ready to take on Evans. They both make it to the ocean. In an unbelievable turn of events, and to the surprise of everybody... Cody falls miserably from the crest of the wave, being engulfed in wave after wave until eventually, he clashes against the reef. Cody steps on a sea urchin and goes unconscious. Fortunately, Lani is there to take him out of the ocean and aid him. She performs CPR on Cody, who spits sea water and comes back just for a moment before going out again.

Desperate to help Cody, Lani takes him to a secret part of the Island to meet a penguin who she calls "Geek". Geek notices the needle in Cody's foot and removes it. Geek is uncomfortable having Cody as a guest, so after he recovers the next morning, Geek shows Cody the way out of the secret place. On his way out, Cody notices he's lost his necklace. Cody gets concerned about it and tells the story of the necklace to Geek.

Cody losing the necklace here signifies that Cody has lost his way. At the beginning of his adventure, he knew exactly what he needed to do. But now, in his own words...

What do I do know? Huh? I can't show my face on the beach. I can't go home. You always like, visualize where you're gonna be, what you're gonna do. This ain't it.

Cody sits on a log where Geek left him. Meanwhile, Geek goes back to his hidden hut and finds the necklace. You can see Geek actively thinking about whether he should just stay at his hut or try to give the necklace back. After all, it seems like he didn't want to be noticed by anyone except Lani. Eventually, he decides to give the necklace back. Back at the log, Geek and Cody have the following conversation:

Geek: Keep that knot tight. You lose it during a contest, it's a gonner.

Cody: Yeah, well... I'm not going to any surf contest.

Geek: Ah, well... there's more to surfing than beating Tank Evans, you know?

Geek points out that the log is made out of koa wood, and that the best surfboards in the world are made out of koa. Geek asks Cody if he has a koa board and proposes that they make one. At first, Cody is so depressed by all that's happened that he doesn't want to make the board but Geek didn't find the necklace for Cody to just say "Nah". Geeks enthusiasm brings up Cody and they go on to make the board.

Rediscovering Passion

As they try to move the log, it rolls out of control and ends up taking them to a secret beach. Cody is astonished by the beauty of the place so he decides to take a look. He finds somebody's old board shack. Cody comes close to the shack and notices they are all Big Z's boards (he is the Biggest Z fan, after all). Cody looks back at Geek as he takes off the sand of another shack nearby saying "Big Z". There, Cody realizes that Geek is Big Z, who continues to depressively look at his old stuff like leaves covered in messages like: "To Z, we miss you".

Cody immediately questions Z about his disappearance. Z doesn't want to talk about it and gets inside his shack. Cody has never been more excited. All he's thinking about is the contest, how he's found Z, and the possibility of Z training him for the contest.

Cody starts surfing outside of Z's shack, but Z refuses to go out. After noticing that Cody is using Z's boards, Z comes out for a bit.

Cody: I'm just trying to rid this canoe or whatever it is.

Z: Just stop trying so hard. Relax!

Cody: What do you mean rela...

... said Cody as he was taken out by another wave. The movie then shows a montage of Z telling Cody how to surf. Over and over, Cody asks Z to come into the water but Z refuses every time. Cody can't really learn anything with Z on the beach.

Cody: I just wanted to learn from the best.

Z: Well, I don't surf anymore.

Cody: What? What do you mean you don't surf anymore?

Z: Hey, you wanna learn how to surf the right way?

Cody: Sure!

Z: Then you gotta make your own board, alright?

The Hero & The Father

So Z and Cody start making Cody's board. They split the log in half and Z draws a pattern as a guide. When Z gives Cody the shaping tool, he says to him:

Z: Now remember, the board's already inside there, somewhere. And what you're doing is you're trying to find it, reveal it.

Cody: Ok (eager and impatiently)

Z: Every carve counts. ¿Why are you smiling? Don't smile.

Cody: I'm not smiling, you know? I'm... I'm excited.

Z: This isn't like hacking a piece of ice! You know, it takes patience and finesse.

Cody: Alright already, I'm trying to... could you just give me the tools, please? Sheesh...

Z: Go ahead, take it

Cody: Thank you (hacks the wood horribly bad)

Z: What are you doing? Hmph... If you're gonna do it, you do it right. Alright, first of all... WITH the grain. WITH the grain, you see what I'm doing here? You let the tool do the work. You see? Just like you're riding the wave. You let the wave do the work. You don't fight the wave. You can't fight these big waves. Long strokes... loads of finnesse. Find the board within the tree. Nice and easy.

Cody: Yeah, I got it.

Z: With... with the...

Cody: Maybe I can do it now?

At this point, Z continues to work on the board and gets lost in his own work. He can't see that Cody doesn't really want to see him work. Cody wants to try it for himself. Eventually, Z notices he got carried away and lets Cody work on his board. Funny enough, as soon as Cody touches the wood with the shaping tool...

Z: You're doing it wrong

Cody: Would you just... would you just... I can't do no finesse when you're in my face! Ok? Just let me make the board.

Eventually, Cody actually gets to try and make the board... and ends up cutting too much wood. The board ends up being flaky and totally not able to withstand any wave at all. Z tries to prove his point by getting on top of the board, but Cody takes it away. As soon as Cody tries it out and jumps on the water, the board breaks in two.

Z: Nice ride man. Nice ride. You know? This is supposed to be fun.

Cody: Look I got three days until the contest. I don't got time for fun!

Z: No time for fun huh? Hey Cody!

Cody: (walking away from the beach) What?

Z: Bring me some clams when you come back.

Cody: I'm not coming back!

Z: He'll be back...

Letting Go

On his way to the beach, Cody comes across Lani, who was bringing Z some clams.

Cody: Listen... Geek is Big Z.

Lani: I know! How'd you find out?

Cody: We went to the beach.

Lani: You got him down to the beach?! I've been trying to get Z outta that tree for ten years and you got him out to the beach in one day? This is fantastic. Wooohooo! It's amazing! Do you want to go somewhere fun? Do you want to go somewhere really, really fun?

Lani takes Cody to some slide-like fissures on the island. They race across the interior of the island and have a great time. Though at first, the slide was a nightmare for Cody. This was Cody's first time he would let go.

Lani: Stop fighting it Cody! Just let go!

Cody: Oh, I'm in front of you now, what's going on now?

Lani: It's not a race!

After the race, Lani admits she's jealous of Cody. She couldn't get Z to leave the tree for 10 years. Z must think highly of Cody. But Cody admits that he's only been a jerk to him. Here we learn that Z is Lani's uncle. Right after the race, by nightfall, Cody goes back to the secret beach and starts working on another board. This time, because he is not in a hurry, he does a great job applying what Z taught him.

What Really Matters

By the time morning comes, Cody is exhausted and sleeping over his board. Z came along, ready to prank Cody with a pineapple but soon noticed that Cody did a really good board. He goes for a rock to help him get over the board. Cody is worried he'll jump over it and break it in half. But Z could jump it like a trampoline multiple times. Now Cody finally has his own board!

By nightfall, Cody and Z have the following conversation:

Z: Now, look at that (as he watches a big wave coming through the beach). Ah, that's the best place in the world to be, in the tube.

Cody: Really?

Z: Yeah, better than winning, the trophy, all that stuff. Once you get inside, you never want to get out.

Cody: Wow... it's amazing...

Z: Oh, yeah man. There's nothing like it.

Cody: Ok so, that aside, I mean... how many points do you get for getting in the tube? Like what does it depend on for the contest?

Z: Points? Phmp You know... you know who you sound like right now?

The movie cuts to the organizer of all the competitions in Pen Gu island, which the movie has always shown is a total jerk. The next morning, Cody continues to try to learn from Z:

Cody: Ok, so what's next? The board is done. What are we doing?

Z: The board is done? Huh... well... let's do some training, what do you say?

Cody: Finally!

Cody takes his board and starts running towards the water. Z takes the board from him.

Z: Where are you going?

Cody: I thought you said we were going to train.

Z: Not in the water! Geez... what are you thinking?

Now Z starts having some fun with Cody. He continues to prank him over and over. He...

• Makes Cody think putting pineapple slices on his eyes will somehow make him a better surfer.
• Has Cody hung upside down from a palm tree.
• Makes Cody balance a bunch of rocks in each fin while standing on a board on top of another rock, only for Z to take him out with a bucket of water.
• Plays with toys on the sand as if they were surfing.

This goes on until Cody decides to prank Z back. He takes him out to the water on a board while he's sleeping and makes him think he'd prank him throwing a pineapple at him, only to be taken out by a big wave unexpected by Z. Once Cody is laughing...

Z: You're having fun, huh?

Cody: Yes, now I am.

Z: Oh. Oh well then Cody, you passed! You did it, you're ready. Let's surf!

Cody: Don't play with me Z. We're surfing? YES! YES!!!

The movie shows a montage of Cody and Z having a great time just surfing for the sake of surfing. Eventually, Lani gets to the beach too, and joins them. Z thanks Lani for having brought Cody to him.

Z: This is what it's all about. What could be better than this?

The Divide

When the night comes, the three of them make a bonfire, have dinner, and Z sings while playing his ukelele.

Cody: Question, Z. I was wondering if you'd come watch me ride tomorrow.

Z: Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll both ride man.

Cody: No, no, not just... in the contest.

Z: Contest? What contest?

Cody: The big Z memorial. Remember that one? I know I'm asking a lot, but it'd really really be... the best thing in the world to me if you could come. I mean...

Z: You still want to be a part of all that, huh?

Cody: Absolutely.

Z: Well, what do you want me there for, anyways?

Cody: I don't know, I thought maybe you'd wanna be there. I mean, I don't know why it's a big deal.

Z: It's not a big deal (sigh).

Cody: Why won't you come?

Z: I'm not coming.

Cody: Why?

Z: Just give it a rest.

Cody: Tell me why you're hiding.

Z: Hiding?

Cody: Why didn't you come back after you fell off the wave?

Z: That wave... That last day, winning had become everything to me. I knew I was gonna beat tank. But then... you know... he starts to surf circles around me. I saw what he was doing... I couldn't do what he was doing. Times had changed, you know? I didn't want to walk back at that beach, with all my fans there you know? Loser. Everyone looking at Big Z, the loser, the has been. So... poof, Big Z's dead. And that's how that's gonna stay...

Cody: What about never give up? What about find a way? You're giving up Z. You're giving up!

Z: Yeah, I'm giving up. That's my way. I'm giving up.

Cody: I thought you were the one guy.

Z: You don't like it, find your own way. Leave me out of it.

Z walks back to his hut. Lani chases after him. Cody breaks his necklace, throws it at the sea, and goes back to the competition. He thinks...

I messed up. I'm just... I'm not good. This is when I needed someone. I needed him. It's hard enough to lose one dad, but..

The Battle

Cody reunites with Joe, who had been searching for him all the days he was gone with Z. Joe leaves Cody for a while. He doesn't know where his board is and has to go find it.

The talent hunter is really concerned for Cody.

What are you doing here? You're gonna kill yourself. Please don't do this to yourself, please. Look what happened last time.

Before the competition begins, Tank Evans makes another display of his personality and reassures Cody he'll win the competition like all the ones before. The horn sounds and all 24 surfer competitors run towards the waves. Almost immediately, 6 of them are taken out by the first big wave.

As Cody paddles across the waves, he remembers all the troubles he's faced so far. He remembers...

• His brother's "When are you gonna get a life".
• Tank Evan's "You are a nobody".
• Talent hunter's "You should've stayed in Antarctica, kid".

Somehow (and partly thanks to Big Z's training) Cody manages to ride the first wave, staying in the competition. At this point, the movie makes a small note to let the viewers see that Z actually attended the competition. He's smiling looking at Cody, but he's behind palm tree leaves.

Cody: You guys see that? Oh, man. I thought I was gonna lose it... then I just... I let go. I let go and there it was.

Fast forward to the competition finals, only Tank, Joe, and Cody are left. Joe even has to be told he's in the finals. He doesn't really care. He's just happy that he gets to surf some more. Suddenly, Lani makes an appearance:

Lani: Wow, finals...

Cody: Hey! Yeah. No, I know. I can't even... I know, I think I can win this thing. It's jus... It's too much right now.

Lani: Yeah, well. That's what you came for.

Cody: What? What's that supposed to mean?

Lani: Huh... you made it pretty clear last night that winning is more important to you than Z or me.

Cody: Lani that's not...

Lani: But, hey! Maybe you get to take your stupid trophy home.

Cody: Lani, come on!

Cody tries to chase after Lani but gets interrupted by the event organizer, who brings cameras and attention with him.

Finally, Cody, Joe, and Tank swim toward the waves. Tank threatens Cody: "First, I'm gonna take you down. Then, I'm gonna fry the chicken". Meanwhile, Joe is lying on his back on top of his board, looking at the clouds, trying to see what they resemble. Cody looks at Joe, then at the Z shrine, and then goes to touch his chest, looking for the necklace that he's resigned. Cody smiles. The horn sounds and Evans takes the lead towards the first wave.

Since Tank was ahead of Cody, he used this to try to spray some water with his board in Cody's face. He does this so much that he loses his balance and falls into the water. Cody leverages Tank's falling momentum and water to make a pirouette (that the commentators even decide to nickname "The Maverick") and safely continues to ride the wave.

Cody and Joe tie in the score while Tank remains at 0 points. Cody and Joe ride inside a tube made from a gigantic wave. Tank drops unexpectedly from the top of the wave, now going after Joe. Disregarding the competition, Cody helps Joe by getting in between him and Tank.

As a consequence of their interferences with one another, they end up surfing in the Boneyard. Cody has a very hard time evading all the spiky rocks. When Tank comes close to him, he even warns him...

Cody: Tank! Look out!

Tank: You look out!

Tank hits Cody in the face and takes him out of the wave. But Tank crashes against a wall of rocks. Lani immediately takes her board and goes to help.

Almost drowning, Cody desperately looks for a way out of the Boneyard. All of a sudden, he hears Z's voice. He managed to climb the rock containing his shrine.

Z: Cody!

Cody: Z!

Z: Don't dig! Don't dig!

Cody: What?

Z: Let the wave carry you, Cody! We're gonna have to time it! You're gonna come right here... right to me.

After counting down... Z catches Cody while turning around his shrine. The penguins on the island are only able to find Cody's board. The event organizer immediately goes to make it a relic and tries to sell it for $30. Z comes from behind him...

Z: Don't touch his stuff man... gimme that

All the penguins look in disbelief... Z is back

Z: Hey everyone. How you've been? Yeah... that's me... "Stank" what's happengin man? Got a little sand in your egg sack there fella.

Penguins: Where have you been Z? What happened?

Z: Oh, well, you know... I huh... I got lost for a little while. Huh, but that kid... that kid there, Cody, he pointed the way back.

The End

Lani runs to hug Cody. Everyone had thought he was dead. The event organizer tries to seize the opportunity for fame and profit...

Organizer: Hey, check it out! How about this? You wanna talk about talents? People find talent. I bring them back from the dead! The now... living... legend

Z: Shut... shut up! I'm not a legend, I'm just a guy looking for some nice waves and good friends. Hey guys, swell is happening over on the north shore.

Penguins: I'm right behind you Z.

Everyone leaves the organizer behind. Even though Tank lost, he still went to grab the trophy and is kissing it. Cody gets interviewed along with Joe...

Rob (Interviewer): So, you gave up the trophy to help Joe, man. What's that about?

Cody: Well, you know Rob, that's huh... that's what friends do?

Rob: How does it feel to win Joe?

Joe: I won?

The movie ends with all the penguins moving on to the secret beach (North shore). They all have a great time just surfing. Cody closes by saying this...

Dude, this... I mean, this whole experience has just been... it's amazing. Z... I don't think I've ever had a better like friend to me in my life. It's just really cool to have everything I need.

To be honest, man... I'm kinda like boread about talking about myself. Is that cool? You guys got what you need? Alright... we good.

I know that, even though this is a summary, this story still took a lot of text. In the next article, I'll highlight the most important things to note about the movie. What do all of the characters represent? Let's go over that and more on the next one.

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