You don't even have to be into surfing to enjoy this movie, but it helps.
I love to throw a board into the Pacific Ocean or anywhere else I happen to be that has waves crashing and a chance to paddle out beyond the breakers only to come speeding back into shore on the next good swell.
Now let's cast our minds back to the 1980s, which is where this story starts and chronologically runs through to the current era of surfing with Aussie Stephanie Gilmore or Happy Gilmore as she's referred to in this near 2 hour documentary that will take you on your own ride.
Enter the world of professional surfing.
It's a damn circus of brightly coloured board shorts and bikinis.
There's no shortage of blonde hair and fit people because the surf will do that to you overtime.
It was an era of Super-sized male egos that needed plenty of stroking and got it from their girlfriends sitting back on the beach, or in their cars waiting for their tanned heroes to emerge from the surf.
"GIRLS CAN'T SURF" follows these renegade female heroines who had to fight for their right just to surf let alone get decent prize money on the world stage.
They still had to pay for flights, accomodation and meals just to compete for International titles and follow their dream with little, if any, corporate sponsorship.
These young girl surfers dared to take on a male-dominated professional sport with huge inequalities...sometimes forced to sleep in their surf board bags at the venues
But they fought against all odds and change the sport forever.
Surfing greats including: Jodie Cooper, Frieda Zamba, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen, Pam Burridge, Wendy Botha, Layne Beachley and so many more speak boldy and directly down the barrel of the camera, just as they rode some of the best barrels in surfing at some of the craziest places on the planet.
You won't believe the crap they had to tolerate just to get onto the podium.
"GIRLS CAN'T SURF" is a confronting and honest recollection of this long wild ride. Personalities clashed, even amongst themselves, and especially with the organisers and male surfers...some of whom though girls only belonged in Bikini parades and not sharing the same ocean as them.
Sexism is alive and well in this brilliant doco, plus adventure, heartbreak and lots of laughs too.
Ultimately each woman was fighting to make their dreams of competing a reality.
I found this to be an empowering history of badass women who made me proud and laugh out loud with their cool attitude.
Two Thumbs up to the ladies of the ocean.
Stick around to the end to find out what's happening in their lives post retirement in the "civilian life" as they call it.
These are the real mermaids who challenge themselves and men to get out there and have a go!
Just like the movie "White Men Can't Jump" this movies title was very much tongue in cheek.
The perfect movie for this Aussie bloke to see on International Women's Day.
6 Reviews
Wonderful look back at a tough time for women
bbewnylorac22 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I am not into surfing, but I really loved this documentary that is a timely look back at just how bad things were for women in surfing just a few decades ago.
The doco is a welcome tribute to the extremely tenacious, strong women who forged a path for themselves, and for others who followed, in this very male-dominated sport.
There was sexism, exploitation, poor pay, being ignored by the surfing media, objectified and given the very worst waves after the men were allowed to compete on the best waves. The low point is when one US competition decides to cut out the women's section - but keep the swimsuit pageant. It's disgusting.
Several male surfers and journalists are interviewed in the 1970s and 80s saying terribly sexist things like women should be at home, and that they really aren't good enough at surfing. I wonder what those men think now? Do they regret it? Do they have their own daughters?
There are some wonderful female characters who were past champions, such as Wendy Botha, who comes across as a very tough cookie, who has a bold, witty personality that probably helped her survive.
Pauline Menczer tells how she triumphed over severe arthritis and sponsors' preference for the more blonde, glamorous surfers. Menczer even had to sell jeans and other goods to raise money to travel the circuit, but she made it right to the top. What a hero.
And one of the most incredible stories is the woman who fell pregnant, but who raised her child while winning multiple world titles. Again, no one would have made it easy for her. How she did it, I don't know.
Covers the evolution of women's pro surfing
eileeshb-128 July 2023
Just saw this at a special screening arranged by a surfer environmental warrior politician who would be of a similar vintage to many of the women from the early days of pro surfing, and is herself a former national surf champion. I grew up in the surf industry and remember so many of the battles that got next to no coverage in the surf publications. It is hard to believe how recent so much of it was. My immediate reaction after watching the movie was a hope that the trailblazers got a reunion off the back of the film. Lisa Anderson is still an ambassador for Roxy and it looks like they've learned to leverage her generation instead of only focusing on the new shiny object. This documentary brought back so many memories of discussions I'd have with the guys in our shop about the women fighting for equality. They didn't mention how hard the women fought to get a contest at all 3 of the Hawaiian triple crown locations, for years it was mooted that the girls couldn't possibly surf such powerful waves so their parallel events were at beach breaks instead of the reefs.
Worthwhile documentary, even for those who don't surf.
TxMike21 June 2020
I am not a surfer, in fact most of my surfing knowledge comes from the beach blanket movies of the 1960s. And the lyrics of the Beach Boys songs. In other words, not much!
"Every time you lose, it feels like getting sacked from a job." That was the sentiment of one of the girls, the lady surfers featured in this documentary were not like the 1950s and 1960s California surfer girl depicted in movies like "Gidget." They were tough and competitive, they wanted to be the best, they each wanted to be World Champion and many of them were.
Traditionally big time professional surfing had been the strict domain of the men, but in the 1980s there was an uprising of female surfers, most from Australia, South Africa, and the US. With great resistance from many male surfers and sponsors they managed to forge their way towards equal treatment. It was a hard road but they got there in 2019.
That much of the film is from older, lower quality footage only adds to the effect and the identification with a time roughly 40 years ago. But what really makes the documentary special are the interviews with the ladies in present time, recalling what was going on or how they felt in specific competitions.
And a bonus, we get to see what several are doing today, one runs a surfing school, another is a school bus driver. Real people not too different from the rest of us, but they were the pioneers.
See it if you can find it.
"Every time you lose, it feels like getting sacked from a job." That was the sentiment of one of the girls, the lady surfers featured in this documentary were not like the 1950s and 1960s California surfer girl depicted in movies like "Gidget." They were tough and competitive, they wanted to be the best, they each wanted to be World Champion and many of them were.
Traditionally big time professional surfing had been the strict domain of the men, but in the 1980s there was an uprising of female surfers, most from Australia, South Africa, and the US. With great resistance from many male surfers and sponsors they managed to forge their way towards equal treatment. It was a hard road but they got there in 2019.
That much of the film is from older, lower quality footage only adds to the effect and the identification with a time roughly 40 years ago. But what really makes the documentary special are the interviews with the ladies in present time, recalling what was going on or how they felt in specific competitions.
And a bonus, we get to see what several are doing today, one runs a surfing school, another is a school bus driver. Real people not too different from the rest of us, but they were the pioneers.
See it if you can find it.
It blows my mind equal prize money was only offered in 2019!!
websterbritt15 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I am new to surfing, started in my mid 20s. Always loved the ocean. Little did I know that if it wasn't for these women the big surf brands wouldn't even be designing clothing for women's bodies to wear in the waves! Board shorts. That doesn't sound like a big deal but massive when I think about how unwelcome I would've felt going to the beach and being stripped naked by a powerful wave as a youngster. They truely opened the beach to us women and I didn't realise until now, to what extent.
I am free now to go awkwardly but lovingly learn to surf and feel like I am allowed to be there.
Plus any aspiring competitive women surfers can feel they are welcome to those dreams along side their brothers, fathers and friends.
amazing people
afortiorama6 August 2022
What great characters and fantastic stories! Best quote "I got a kick out of being famous I can't deny that, but that's not why I did it. I did it because I wanted to be number 1 in the world". Favourite part when they finally take a stand and don't go in the water with crappy waves but, because it was women not really grown up to stand up for themselves, they weren't exactly sure what would happen and you find yourself waiting with them.
I loved it.
I loved it.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
