Bra Boys

Russell Crowe lends his Aussie accent to narrating this unique documentary about the tight-knit tribe of surfers in Australia’s Maroubra Beach who call themselves "Bra Boys." Writer/producer/director Sunny Abberton is a former pro surfer who wears the "Bra Boys" tattoo shared by his brothers—Koby, Jai, and Dakota, and whose complex personal story of surfing and violence the film tells. Abberton places Maroubra Beach in its historical context as a public housing project slum overlooked by a prison, and adjacent to the biggest sewage plant in the Southern Hemisphere. Gradually, we come to intimately relate to the Bra Boys as fearless protectors of a culture built on loyalty and the surf. "Bra Boys" exposes a specific slice of rebellious Australian surfing culture hardboiled from the senseless violence visited upon them by authorities and rival gangs alike. Maroubra means, "place of thunder." Upon seeing this gripping movie, you’ll know why.

Rated R. 84 mins. (B+) (Four Stars)