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“Breath” tries so hard to be the most sentimental surfing movie ever made that it forgets to acknowledge the movie’s emotional nostalgia for a period in Australia during the 70s, but most importantly for the poignant nostalgia of a man aged thirteen. A film by Australian Tim Winton, “Breath” is dedicated to the notion that our shapes are constantly molded by the experiences we have as well as the risks that we decide to accept. Growing up is one big emotional rollercoaster that shrugs with the gentlest “hang-loose” sign. But critically, debut filmmaker Simon Baker lacks the adequate ambition and zealousness needed to treat us as an audience on his level.
Without revealing his older self, “Breath” focuses on younger Pikelet, the boy who is reminisced with a ‘stand by me’ voice-over cast by Winton. He is portrayed by the actor Samuel Coulter who as well as his best mate Loonie, played by Ben Spence, are easily identifiable as a typical 13-year-old who gets his kicks petulantly and seeks casual crude parties. Rather trifling and lewd, they love sharing their f-bombs, and horse around by jumping into the water, biking recklessly around trucks, and getting into other dangerous situations where they have a good chance of getting injured.
Both of the fulsome beach blondies exhibit a deep-rooted connection when it comes to Loonie’s danger that hero Pikelet embodies by bringing him out of his shell. Besides the friendships he has, he also seems to indulge in some romance with a classmate Karen (Megan Smart) but is more confused about his emotions than she is.
As Sando cuts into the scene, the shaggiest of beach blonds Baker helps put them into the surfing world. Noticing that books such as Moby Dick and White Fang sit high and mighty on Sando’s bookshelf, he started to become a sweet father figure to them (Pikelet’s father, played by Richard Roxburgh, comes across as bizarrely reduced simply to smiling at his son’s from afar as if his arc has been cut out). Sando progressively takes the boys on more and more crazy surfing adventures, always under the pretense that one needs to overcome their fear of the waves inside one’s body. bit pieces about his own life incredible to Pikelet, and the other boys freaking adore him. As he becomes smarter, he starts realizing that he’s not learning about life simply by following Sando’s advice but instead by watching him. So, even though we are seeing this all through Pikelet’s eyes, Baker’s character is not intriguing, but mysterious.
It does, however, mark the beginning of a classic coming-of-age narrative where one is rewarded for conquering fears and the wisdom experienced thanks to those who came before and are admired.
Things seem normal enough until one sub-plot where Pikelet gets closer to Eva Sando’s American wife Elizabeth Debicki, who has a skiing accident scar dangling off her leg. I won’t spoil what happens because it arrives much so much later in the movie, but it’s such a distinct chunk that it seems like a kooky sequel to the surfing lessons, with only thematic similarities about fear and interacting with under-written women to connect them. It is clear that even this selection does not bring enough vigor to “Breath” but at least it helps the film not drown in amnesia like many of the other coming-of-age stories.
Instead of lacking focus in directorial execution, Baker guides his audience gently. Not only did he use syrupy slow-motion shots and an informative score by Harry Gregson-Williams, but also expects to engage the audience with affectionate reminiscence of when boys are nurtured into men.
It never feels like it is enough no matter how much one tries to justify it (as I did) as breezy inspirational Clint Eastwood hilight relishing in the sun. For any filmmaker, the comparison itself is simply a delusional undertaking.
If you’re one of Simon Baker’s fans after “The Mentalist” then you can be sure that his feature film directing skills can be defined as “adequate” if you are starting to watch “Breath.” He edits terribly which is the greatest capture of him as a co-writer and sadly a main editor. This 114-minute jalopy chose stupidity over mastering crafting their plot and clarifying their goals, so it was unnecessary. There is also some disconcerting temporality to the movie, so it’s merely about a set of happenings when Pikelet gets older. However, the actor does undergo physical aging through the unfolding of the narrative which sharpens what would be otherwise a half-hearted prominent performance.
Still, when “Breath” cuts to the surf, it definitely does lend itself some degree of visual comfort. The overall teal sheen is rather unfamiliar to the general American audience but is definitely less strange when Baker and the young co-stars are in front of the lenses performing life lessons on water through riding the waves.
A while state of a surfer sprinting away from gigantic waves that want to engulf him is shot beautifully with long takes. Water photographer Rick Rifici shot moments that are embedded under the sea, which capture the chaos and serenity of water intertwining. With the surfboard gliding across the water, these images are simply visions Baker wishes the audience to have in the midst of a movie that is more likely to make them doze off.
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