Goofie Foot (Chris Cashman, 2009): USA

Reviewed by Kazimir Berman. Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

I liked Goofy foot. I liked it because it was daring enough to make you think about life’s profound truths, which is about accepting life whatever you make of it and to make the very best of it all of the time.

Goofy Foot is filmed in Ventura, and in the surrounding area.  Wes Whitworth plays Tyler: a young man who’s brother has just recently died in a tragic surfing accident. Tyler’s diseased brother Ricky (played by Simon Peter Deveer) began surfing at camp one summer with his brother. To decide their foot orientation the camp counselor tells the children to close their eyes while one by one he pushes them from behind, whichever foot they put forward to catch their balance decides weather they are regular or goofy footed. Tyler the younger of the two is regular, while his older brother Ricky turns out to be goofy. The children begin to make fun of Ricky because he is goofy footed. He is put at ease when the camp counselor tells the children that he himself is a goofy foot and proud of it, explaining further that some of the best surfers in the world surf this way, making it easier to ride the hollow lefts in Hawaii, which are the most sought after waves in the world.

The films message is conveyed to the movie goer by the relentless acting of the brother’s played by Wes and Simon. Their performances are solid considering the script and budget. The camera work was also differentiated and specialized. Highly regarded water photographer David Pu’u was involved in creating some of the unique water photography shot for the movie.

If someone is looking to see a local film and feel a little uplifted by a film which tries to be inspirational, you should see Goofie Foot . If you ever happen to find it playing somewhere.