Ride – Wenn Spaß in Wellen kommt (2014)

Ride – Wenn Spaß in Wellen kommt: Directed by Helen Hunt. With Helen Hunt, Brenton Thwaites, Julie Dretzin, Jay Russell. A mother travels cross-country to California to be with her son after he decides to drop out of school and become a surfer.

“I didnu0026#39;t recognize Helen Hunt when she was still wearing those hideous glasses at home. Even without glasses, she didnu0026#39;t exactly look familiar. I watched a handful of u0026quot;Mad about Youu0026quot; episodes but she has changed somewhat. Her hairstyle is still cute. She looked like she did in u0026quot;Shots Firedu0026quot;, filmed near where I live (the only reason I watched); that led me to conclude that might be her. No wonder sheu0026#39;s so good. And so funny. And she even wrote and directed, something I didnu0026#39;t know until the end. She looks great in a swimsuit, by the way; later, she is lying in bed wearing just a towel and showing off her legs. And she can do physical comedy! It looked quite dangerous, but surely there were stunt performers. And I suspected, and later was proved right by the credits, that some visual effects might have been added. That makes more sense than doing everything where it would be the most hazardous. Everything looked real.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe TiVo summary also said u0026quot;Comedy, surfingu0026quot;. It took me a while to be certain I was supposed to be laughing. Not until the surfing lessons began was I absolutely certain. But later on there is so much drama and so much conflict that calling this a comedy seems incorrect. There are reasons why Jackie and her ex broke up, though the new family is quite nice.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBrenton Thwaites is a name I have never heard. Heu0026#39;s likable enough.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLuke Wilson is a talented comic actor I am somewhat familiar with. I didnu0026#39;t recognize him but he is patient and caring.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDavid Zayas is to be commended for putting up with all the nonsense.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAnd of course there is Richard Kind. This is the type of role for which he is ideal. Iu0026#39;m just sorry he only appeared in one scene and I could only hear him over the phone even then. Iu0026#39;m not even sure I was supposed to be able to understand anything he said but his frustration comes through.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAnd youu0026#39;ll be amazed at the ending.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile itu0026#39;s not the highbrow material Helen Hunt might be expected to do, itu0026#39;s certainly a fun and well-done farce.”