Story
Soul Surfer is based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb), a 13-year-old girl with the world at her feet. She’s loved by her supportive family, is part of a close-knit church, and has her best friend Alana Blanchard (Lorraine Nicholson) by her side. Bethany is also a talented surfer, dreaming of making it to the professional circuit. This seems the obvious next step after she gets a sponsorship with Ripcurl.
But one typical morning while surfing, Bethany is attacked by a shark. Although her companions save her life, she loses her arm.
The courageous Bethany and her family and friends work through their grief and loss to come to terms with the tragedy. Bethany faces the challenges of getting back to doing the thing she loves – surfing. She gains a new perspective on her life to become an inspiration for people all over the world.
Themes
Dealing with tragedy; natural disasters; spirituality
Violence
Soul Surfer contains scenes of violence and injury. For example:
Sexual references
None of concern
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
None of concern
Nudity and sexual activity
This movie has some nudity and sexual activity. For example:
- Bethany’s parents kiss.
- Many characters are shown in brief bikinis and shorts.
- Bethany and a male friend flirt mildly.
- Alana has a photo shoot in a bikini and has to do some provocative poses.
Product placement
The following products are displayed or used in this movie: surfing and skating brands including Ripcurl, Roxy and Travisty; Spam (the tinned meat); and Red Bull.
Coarse language
This movie has some very mild coarse language.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Soul Surfer is an inspiring true story. It’s likely to interest older children and teenagers, but includes scenes and themes that might disturb younger children.
The main messages from this movie are as follows:
- Life is like surfing. When you get caught in the ‘impact zone’, you need to get back up and keep going.
- Look at the bigger picture. There’s always someone worse off than you.
- With love and support from people around you, you can face anything.
- You can find strength in spiritual belief. Bethany and her family are religious. When tragedy strikes, Bethany is confused and finds it difficult to understand what ‘God’s plan’ is for her. She’s comforted when she’s told that something good must come from this.
Values in this movie that you might like to reinforce with your children include bravery and perseverance, family love and friendship, and the ability to challenge views of what’s normal.
This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about the importance of facing your fears. You could also discuss the impact of natural disasters, particularly the tsunami in South-East Asia.