IMDb RATING
7.1/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Doug Pray explores the life of surfer Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz.Doug Pray explores the life of surfer Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz.Doug Pray explores the life of surfer Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz.
- Awards
- 3 nominations
Israel Paskowitz
- Self
- (as Israel 'Izzy' Paskowitz)
Moses Paskowitz
- Self
- (as Moses Zyus Paskowitz II)
Salvador Paskowitz
- Self
- (as Salvador Daniel Paskowitz)
Navah Paskowitz
- Self
- (as Navah Paskowitz-Walther)
Josh Paskowitz
- Self
- (as Joshua Paskowitz)
Dorian Paskowitz
- Self
- (as Dorian 'Doc' Paskowitz M.D.)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 11, 2007. While all Paskowitz family members were scheduled to attend, four brothers were stuck in New York, as bad weather in both New York and Toronto prevented them from getting on the plane.
- Quotes
Dorian Paskowitz: My theory is: You don't get educated in Stanford. What you get in Stanford is knowledge. But education means wisdom. Wisdom you get from experience, living, people that you meet and in everyday kind of life. And this is what my children get a lot of.
- SoundtracksGot You (Where I Want You)
Written by Adam Paskowitz, James Book, Nick Lucero and Peter Predichizzi
Performed by The Flys
Published by Ensign Music o/b/o itself and Coach And Hooch Music (BMI)
Courtesy of Windswept Holding LLC o/b/o Kirtland Records
Featured review
It's More Than a Surfing Movie
Don't be fooled by the title. Surfwise is much more than a surfing movie. It chronicles the amazing journey of "Doc" Paskowitz, his nine kids and his beautiful and understanding wife Juliette. After two failed marriages, the doc packs up his "normal" life and goes Bohemian, living off the earth while teaching people how to surf. The highly religious man meets his life partner in Juliette and they immediately start having kids - one after the other. But that's where the normalcy ends. They travel around the country in a 24' cramped trailer all eleven of them, eating healthy, the kids getting home schooled, surfing everyday, and staying below the radar from truant officers. To make money, the Paskowitz' start a surf school and "Doc" would occasionally take low-level medical positions. As was the case with "Doc," the kids became champion surfers and the family was profiled numerous times in magazine articles and television segments. Although many outsiders found this nomadic lifestyle idyllic, the kids started to rebel against "Doc." He was unyielding, he didn't offer them options, and it was either his way or "off" the highway as it were. It also didn't help that their parents were having sex just about every night in a small trailer with the nine of them watching and listening. As their hormones kicked in, they needed sexual release as well, but those needs were not met because they were constantly travelling without any chance to make their own relationships. One by one, they left the fold. Many of the kids became estranged from their parents and each other. But through it all, the kids turned out to be smart, intelligent, good parents, creative and successful in many ways. The cynicism in many would think that out of this dysfunctional upbringing would come the typical end game of suicides, failed marriages, or any other downers. But this couldn't be further from the truth.
What lingers is the fact that I really liked these people. I wanted to get to know them better and hang out with them. What "Doc" was preaching years ago is now fact eating well, preserving the planet and loving one another is essential to survival. And although he didn't give his kids a choice and forced them to live life "his way," one can't really fault him for trying to give them the best that he thought was right.
Doug Pray makes great documentaries and I look forward to his next one.
Screened at the Starz Denver Film Festival.
What lingers is the fact that I really liked these people. I wanted to get to know them better and hang out with them. What "Doc" was preaching years ago is now fact eating well, preserving the planet and loving one another is essential to survival. And although he didn't give his kids a choice and forced them to live life "his way," one can't really fault him for trying to give them the best that he thought was right.
Doug Pray makes great documentaries and I look forward to his next one.
Screened at the Starz Denver Film Festival.
helpful•314
- steve-belgard-1
- Nov 15, 2007
- How long is Surfwise?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Surfwise, una família contra corrent
- Filming locations
- Los Angeles, California, USA(additional location)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $127,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $269,994
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,304
- May 11, 2008
- Gross worldwide
- $318,478
- Runtime1 hour 33 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1
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