Beautiful Wave
By Tracy Moore,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Pensive coming-of-age surfer tale has a few iffy scenes.

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What's the Story?
Dropped off for the summer at her estranged grandmother's (Patricia Richardson), Nicole (Aimee Teegarden) inherits the antique surf van of the grandfather she never knew -- Jimmy (Lance Henriksen) -- and heads off on a road trip down the California coast, surfing along the way, to find out more about her father, who drowned when she was 12. Along the way, with some new friends in tow, she discovers more about her heritage, herself, and life in the process.
Is It Any Good?
BEAUTIFUL WAVE is a road movie, a surf movie, and a coming-of-age story wrapped in one, whose payoffs are unexpected. There isn't much in the way of action, no earth-shattering plot points, and you can feel the resolution edging closer in a predictable pattern. But it offers something less common: a nice mix of thoughtful, better-developed characters, and a realistic story about teenage soul-searching -- framed through the experience of an introverted teenage girl -- set against the backdrop of beautiful California and Mexico coastline.
Teens with an affection for philosophy, big questions, surfing, and nature and who have a patience for the journey will appreciate this pensive look at lost love and new discoveries. Parents will want to address the joint-smoking, drinking, and teens on an unsupervised road trip, but will appreciate the nuance of those depictions and how they are handled, not to mention the good choices of the teen girl at the center of them.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about illegal drug use. How are drugs portrayed here? Are there any consequences?
Have you looked into your heritage? What steps have you taken to find out more about your family roots?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: May 8, 2012
- Cast: Aimee Teegarden, Ben Milliken, Lance Henriksen, Patricia Richardson
- Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Friendship, Great Girl Role Models, Science and Nature
- Run time: 96 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- Last updated: December 7, 2022
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