This film is quite beautiful to watch.
Set against the amazing backdrop of Hawaii it stars Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt as surfers who have 3 kids. Their 14 year old daughter Bethany is a very talented surfer in her own right and is competing in the regional surfing finals.
She goes out training with her coach, brother and best friend and is lying down flat on her surfboard waiting for a wave when a shark literally just bites her left arm off.
She is gutted as you can imagine that she has now lost her chance to compete and surf professionally but she is so determined and goes to see her spiritual advisor at her local church for help and guidance and decides that she is going to try and learn to surf again.
There is a very big religious aspect to this film and as a non religious person i was not offended by it or believed that it dragged down the story i actually thought that it was beneficial to this girls recovery.
She goes on to have to learn how to do everything one handed and obviously gets very frustrated but she not only learns how to surf again but goes on to become a professional surfer. Her father was instrumental in her recovery, not only designing her a specialised surfboard but was out there every single day with her, encouraging her, never letting her give up, her mother and brothers were there everyday on the beach, videoing her, giving her tips, it was amazing and i wish i had family like that.
I cried a lot and thought it was remarkable how this girl literally had so much courage and determination against something that most of us would of just given up on.
This is based on a true story so you can go and visit her website to learn more.
Honestly one of the most inspirational films i have seen in a long time, puts us to shame really how we all complain about the ins and outs of our daily lives.
Not to be missed..