Precis:
This largely autobiographical documentary centers around Sunny Abberton (the film’s 34 year old first time writer, director and producer) and his brothers Koby and Jai who are an integral part of Sydney’s Maroubra beach surfing community.
More than just a tribute to the sport, this surf documentary provides a raw and unashamedly emotional look into the private lives of Maroubra’s infamous surfing gang.
The Narrative:
The story is told by the brothers, various Bra Boys and members of the surfing community. Yet central to this story are the three brothers who talk frankly about their childhood and how surfing provided an escape from parental neglect and domestic conflict. We are introduced to their grandmother, affectionately known as ‘Ma’ who took in all the local kids from broken homes and let them play at her house. Her kindness created a sense of family that was later to become a brotherhood and ultimately the Bra Boys. In many ways this film is a tribute to Ma and her positive influence on the boys.
Probably the most interesting things about this documentary is how multifaceted the Bra Boy members are. Clearly a tough gang, they feature in various newspaper headlines which heralds their notoriety as “Surf Warriors.” Their fearsome reputation, and the growing tension between them and the police, finally climaxes in the arrest of both Jai who is accused of murder and Koby who is charged with obstructing a police investigation. Yet this film is also about the positive work they do in the community and the values they want to teach the next generation. We are invited in to watch the practical jokes they play, the adrenalin rush they enjoy and the brotherly love they express.
This documentary encompasses a lot of history and features the Sydney race riots in Cronulla in 2005. It is a movie packed with bloody fist fights, street brawls, police cars and impressive competition surfing footage. This film has a dark and at times oppressive feel when it deals with subjects such as violence, gangs and neglect. Sydney song writer Jamie Holt, and his band The Camels, have written whole sections of the film’s original score.
In Conclusion:
Ironically, despite its macho subject matter, this movie is fundamentally a love story. Jai, Sunny and Coby talk candidly to the camera about their childhood and how much these adrenalin junkies and prank playing larrikins really love Ma and each other. It is a movie of great contrasts where tough and fearless men can also be blatantly emotional and cry. It is a story about resistance, mateship and about sticking together to overcome all odds. Sunny Abberton bares his life and soul on screen and the result is this unexpectedly powerful documentary. Surprisingly moving, this is home grown, grass roots film making at its best.
biographical-documentaries.suite101.com/article.cfm/bra_boys_interview
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