Top 8 Must-Watch Movies About Surfing

These are the best movies to watch when missing being out on the waves and wanting to connect to surfing.

Crouching surfer in action / Marvin Meyer / Unsplash

One of the wonderful things about the world of movies is that there are plenty to watch for each pasttime that allow the viewer to both live vicariously and grow a deeper connection with something they love.

That's true for one of the most popular water sports, surfing. Missing the waves but can't go out on a board right now? Here are some great options to choose from that range from action movies to documentaries to animated classics:

Riding Giants

This early 2000s documentary was made by professional surfer and skater Stacy Peralta. It follows a couple of other famous surfers across different generations as it examines the thrill of chasing dangerous waves. It was acclaimed for bringing a different view to surfing as opposed to the more famous iterations the sport has seen across movies and television.

Point Break

Speaking of famous surfing movies, "Point Break" probably takes the cake. This 90s action movie follows Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) as he investigates a gang of bank robbers. Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) plays a surfer in the movie and that's where the past time comes into play. Even if you've seen the movie before, it is endlessly re-watchable.

The Endless Summer

Famous surfing documentarian Bruce Brown follows Americans Mike Hynson and Robert August as they travel the world during a California winter in hopes of achieving an endless summer.

Chasing Mavericks

Though it is based on a true story, this is a dramatization. It follows the life of Jay Morarity (Jonny Weston) after he fell in love with surfing at the age of eight after he was saved from drowning by his surfing neighbor Frosty Hesson (Gerard Butler). It's about his quest to ride the dangerous California waves known as Mavericks.

Five Summer Stories

The duo of Jim Freeman and Greg MacGillivray deliver a Beach Boys-backed documentary that is split up into five different stories. The segments range from joyful to wary of the 1970s political/environmental climate. It's a good watch to see the wide array of emotions that the sport of surfing has to offer.

Blue Crush

This early-2000s drama feels like a perfect time capsule of what movies were like then. The film is about a group of three female surfers and covers different dramatic themes while taking on Hawaiian waves.

Surf's Up

A perfect movie to introduce a kid to surfing as it acts as a parody of a couple of movies in this list such as The Endless Summer and Riding Giants. The mockumentary follows a penguin with hopes of becoming the best surfer in the world.

Single Fin Yellow

The film follows one surfboard as it is shared among of group of friends and travels the world. It is one of the most diverse on the list in terms of actual different surfing locations being used.