Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton

Released Sep 29, 2017

1h 58m

Documentary

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74%

23 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

Filmmaker Rory Kennedy provides an account of the career of big wave surfer Laird Hamilton, a man who has spent his life conquering untamable walls of water.

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Peter Howell

Toronto Star

At a long two hours, the film gets as repetitive as the tide.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 20, 2017

Full Review

Dave McGinn

Globe and Mail

The film may not shed any new light on Hamilton, but the footage of him riding 100-foot-high waves is nothing short of awesome.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 20, 2017

Full Review

Danielle White

Austin Chronicle

Take Every Wave's major fault (and this is true when filming any professional sport) is that the presentation makes it all look too darned easy.

Rated: 2.5/5

Oct 19, 2017

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

A visually pleasing collection of Sport Illustrated style photography that offers little insight into Hamilton or the sport.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 1, 2021

Full Review

Steven Prokopy

Third Coast Review

Take Every Wave is a terrific biopic, a visual feast of human achievement and limits, and, not surprisingly, something of a gloss of Hamilton's life.

May 19, 2020

Full Review

Andrew Wyatt

The Lens

Director Rory Kennedy, far from ceding the story to her subject, adroitly finds his wavelength and then amplifies it to fill her film.

Rated: B

Jan 19, 2019

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Audience Member

Interesting movie and story of this surfing legend and how he carved his own path in life

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I had the advantage of seeing this film with Laird in person, providing commentary and answering questions before the screening. He came across as a really decent, humble guy, which was NOT what I anticipated. I thought the film gave insights into Laird's development as the amazing guy he is.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

great movie about an innovator.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

shoeless j

Competition and self discovery battle in and out of the water - TEW explores the rewards and soul of living committed to the edge.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Mike A

Great documentary. I remember first seeing LH in that movie North Shore way back in the day. Then every five years or so he'd pop up somewhere in the media. He's had an incredible life and it was good to see all the little details.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/22/17

Full Review

Audience Member

I feel like I'll sleep tonight with blue green water crashing over my head! A trip into a different life than most of us lead, making the common themes of love, friendship, and family all the more poignant. Our entire family of non-surfers were engrossed all the way through to the jaw-dropping final foil ride!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Rory Kennedy

Director

Laird Hamilton

Self

Gabrielle Reece

Self

Darrick Doerner

Self

Nick Carroll

Self

Mark Bailey

Writer

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Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Rory Kennedy provides an account of the career of big wave surfer Laird Hamilton, a man who has spent his life conquering untamable walls of water.

Director: Rory Kennedy
Producer: William Cawley, Jonathan S. Marshall
Screenwriter: Mark Bailey, Jack Youngelson
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Moxie Firecracker Films
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 29, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 7, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $167.2K
Runtime: 1h 58m

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