Soul Surfer

Soul Surfer, starring AnnaSophia Robb and Dennis Quaid (2011) Rated PG The life of Bethany Hamilton, a promising amateur Hawaiian surfer who overcame a crippling shark attack at age 13 to succeed on the pro circuit, would likely make for a compelling, inspirational cinematic experience even if it consisted of a voice-over recounting her story on a blank screen. The actual film may stay firmly within the standard safe sports underdog movie guidelines ... but Hamilton's incredible strength and spirit still manage to shine through, aided by a terrifically appealing lead performance by AnnaSophia Robb... She does her real-life inspiration proud, even if the film surrounding her sometimes feels overly scrubbed. -- Andrew Wright