The inspirational true story of real life surfing phenomenon Jay Moriarity. When 15 year old Jay discovers that the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth, is not only real, but exists just miles from his Santa Cruz home, he enlists the help of local legend Frosty Hesson to train him to survive it. As Jay and Frosty embark on their quest to accomplish the impossible, they form a unique friendship that transforms both their lives, and their quest to tame Mavericks becomes about far more than surfing.
Miscellaneous Early in the film, an aerial view of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in 1987 shows the tower of the Double Shot, a ride that was not installed until 2005.
Continuity When Jay is out in the water searching for Frosty, he throws the bottle cap into the water and puts the bottle without the cap back on the board. When he peddles further the bottle cap is back on the bottle.
Errors in Geography In an early morning scene, a surfer is looking out a bluff to the ocean waves down below. The rising sunshine comes in from the left hand side of the frame. Even on the most south facing beach in Calif., the sun raising behind the scene.
Trivia:
Michael Apted to direct the last three weeks of principal photography after Curtis Hanson had to pulled out for health reasons.
An international casting search was conducted online to find the actor to play Jay Moriarty.
6 Red Epics were lost while shooting the Mavericks surf footage.
Gerard Butler nearly drowned when a 20 foot wave broke on his head whilst filming a scene at Mavericks, California.
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