Here’s why ‘Breath’ is controversially the best Australian surf movie

The hang-loose charm of Breath leaves you longing for a beachside shack in a small surfer town on the coast. Based on Tim Winton’s best-selling novel by the same name, the film perfectly captures a circa-1970s Australian summer full of salty sunsets, secret romance and sickening swell.

Simon Baker makes his directorial debut while starring alongside a pair of real-life pro surfers, Samson Coulter and Ben Spence, playing the young aspiring surfer duo, Pikelet and Loonie.

Baker enters as the typical shaggy blonde traveller that rules the world of surfing, inspiring the naive pair of grommets, Pikelet and Loonie to chase the thrill of a sport that puts you in the hands of mother nature, and like all thrill-seekers, the limit becomes endless.

Filmed in the small town of Denmark, WA, Breath perfects the balance of drama and suspense, with a subtle touch of noir when the plot takes a bizarre and breath-taking turn. The cast’s natural and fresh acting is rare in the small-budget film-making industry of Netflix originals today. The impressive scriptwriting and dialogue sprinkled with Aussie slang feel natural and effortless throughout the entire film.

The film’s hazy seafoam-like ambience, flawless mid-70s mise en scene and soundtrack build an intense connection to the characters, making it hard to believe it’s not the retelling of real-life events.

The cinematography echos the same tone as other award-winning Australian surf films like Morgan O’Neill & Ben Nott’s “Drift” (2017) and Curtis Hanson & Michael Apted’s “Chasing Mavericks” (2012) and captures the setting through a poetic lens without obstructing the natural beauty of the Australian landscape.

But unlike every other surfy coming-of-age tale, it's unique, clever and socially intriguing. The plot explores heavy themes that shed new light on the complex mind of teenage boys navigating their way into adulthood.

The surfing sequences are energetic with just the right balance of suspense by expressing the beautiful yet deadly nature of the ocean, where the complexity of humanity becomes insignificant compared to the mere force of mother nature.

And beneath its cool surfy allure, an even bigger message prevails, reinforcing how the ocean's ability to temporarily wash away the mediocre parts of existence comes with the price of its unpredictable nature. It leaves the audience in awe of those who are willing to surrender their body and soul to a wave with not a shred of doubt.

It's an easy watch with a heavy message, the closest thing to a real-life outer banks experience, a simple life where kids skip school when the swell is good and undoubtedly deserved an award for best picture.