Surfwise: The Amazing True Odyssey of the Paskowitz Family

Anyone looking for a glorious ode to the surfing life should pause a moment before viewing this terrific documentary film about life in the Paskowitz family. Although surfing was the stated main focus of this highly unconventional family's life, it's not the center of the story that's revealed in the film. Kudos to the filmmakers, who peel back the layers of the story gradually until you gather the sense of the awfulness at the center. We see a life that on the face of it might appear appealing -- who hasn't at some time or other wished for a more 'authentic' life? What if we could slip the rules of the prevailing society? What if we weren't forced to be educated in institutional settings? This film and all the Paskowitz children, who thankfully are brave enough to speak of what they endured at the whims of two of the most narcissistic parents you'll ever meet, will give some answers to those questions. Abundant with archival footage that makes the past come alive, the film also gives us interviews with everyone in the family that will resonate with you for a long time after you view it. You may well be left with lots of questions after it's over, but one is very happy to see that the kids seem to have made good lives for themselves despite the bad models that were their parents. In any case, this is a film for anyone who loves good documentary filmmaking -- you don't have to know anything about surfing to appreciate this one.

This movie is not about surfing and the magic, spirituality, and beauty of surfing. I've surfed for over 40 years. What I thought started out as a video of an epic odyssey of the magic and spiritualality of surfing and the surfing lifestyle, became a chronicle about a self absorbed and abusive man engaged in denial and cover up of severe dysfunction. I don't have any quarrel with raising and home schooling kids outside the system, a healthy active sex life, discipline, and surf, surf, surfing. I think these are goals to aspire to. I assert that there was and is a very very dark side to Dorian and his family life that revealed itself in episodes where he encouraged one child to choke another. That is just completely unacceptable. Such psychology and behavior only sullies the reputation of surfing and surfers and reinforces the unfortunate stereotypes that many people have about surfing and surfers. I suspect that if we pull the cover completely off the Poskowitz family we'd find severe child abuse of the sort intolerable to all but predators.

This documentary was amazing! It leaves you with an interesting new perspective on life and just goes to show how much we can learn from others (no matter how strange they may seem to be)!

This father of multiple children takes his family on the road to escape the traditions and pressures of ordinary life. They live a very different life and raise their children on very different principles, including...no school! Watch this film, everyone should see it!