SURFWISE

RYAN: Talk to me about “Surfwise.”

CAROLINE: It’s a random but really interesting documentary which actually looks like a TV show that could be on Discovery. But the content is perhaps a little racy for TV.

RYAN: What’s it about?

CAROLINE: It’s about this guy Doc Paskowitz, a doctor who was married and divorced twice and miserable in his life, but he loved to surf. So he decided to go off the grid, live like a surf bum and raise his family in an RV all over the country. BTW he had 9 kids all in one RV.

RYAN: Did it make you want to fly someone warm and hit the water with your boogie board?

CAROLINE: That’s a feeling that I have every day, so no, not any more than usual.

RYAN: [laughs’ When does this movie take place?

CAROLINE: He raised his kids in the ‘70s and ‘80s, so they use old photos and stuff. But mostly it consists of present-day interviews of each family member. It’s a really cool story and almost anthropological, because you’re learning about this man and his beliefs on family and child-rearing. His kids didn’t even go to school. They barely had any money, didn’t pay taxes, etc., and now that the kids are all grown up, it’s really interesting to see how they’re living.

RYAN: Where does this documentary lie on the continuum between “Grizzly Man” and something from Michael Moore?

CAROLINE: It’s nothing like either of those. It’s much more… well, I don’t want to say amateurish because it’s really enjoyable, but it’s not shot on film so it doesn’t have that documentary “film” look.

RYAN: I think the best documentaries, such as “For the Bible Tells Me So,” have a real impact and you learn something. Was this movie enlightening in that way?

CAROLINE: I’d call it thought provoking. It’s a little more personal since it’s about a family. But the father’s beliefs are so radical and unusual that it makes you think about your own personal philosophies.

RYAN: What’s your bottom line?

CAROLINE: I was really interested in this story but it’s not really for a wide audience, especially since most people don’t care about documentaries anyway. It’s a small film that could almost be a really unique TV special.

RYAN: So it’s not a must-see on the big screen.

CAROLINE: No. But this Doc guy is big in the surfing world, so I’m sure surfer types will enjoy it, as will people who like documentaries.