The modern proverb, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey,” perfectly captures the life and times of the modern-day renaissance man Jack Johnson.
The surfer, filmmaker, musician, philanthropist, husband, and father’s journey from the pipelines of Hawaii to the hearts and souls of millions of fans is documented to perfection in Jack Johnson: SURFILMUSIC.
The film, directed by Emmett Malloy – a longtime collaborator of Johnson’s—is an amalgam of old footage, 4-track cassette and mini-disc sound, interviews with Johnson’s inner circle (Malloy, Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Kim Johnson), and moments alone with the man himself as he reflects on a life less ordinary.
The film, as the title indicates, is broken into three distinctive parts: surf, film, and music. Malloy’s gorgeously shot film examines how each of these aspects of Johnson’s life begets the other and still influences everything Johnson does. We watch how his days as a young surfer in Hawaii directly influenced his foray into filmmaking, and how his downtime during filming was the launchpad for his music.
The journey is fascinating because you see the hard work Johnson put into his ascent to superstardom. Still, SURFILMUSIC crafts his story as one of natural progression, and it’s echoed by Johnson’s friends. To them, it was obvious that Johnson would excel and succeed because his talent and creativity were so evident. However, when the film cuts to Johnson, his laidback humility almost deflects his own talent and puts the spotlight on the communities around him because, in his eyes, they led him to his current status. And this makes you admire Johnson even more. He’s infinitely talented, and instead of bathing in the adulation of the documentary, he turns the films into a celebration of those involved in his success.
This is evidenced by the dedication of the film’s act to the passing of one of Johnson’s closest friends, Tamayo Perry. This celebration of Johnson’s life is refocused into a final farewell, a cinematic eulogy of sorts to a man whom Johnson credits so much and obviously cared about deeply. That’s the type of thing that speaks to a man’s character and makes you just marvel at this man even further.
Jack Johnson: SURFILMUSIC is an absolute must-watch for fans who love gorgeously shot surf films, fascinating films on how films get made, and uniquely crafted music documentaries. Like Johnson himself, this film is a multi-faceted marvel that speaks to not only a man’s craft but also his soul.
