YOU needn't be shy about seeing Drift if you have little background knowledge in surfing.
Riding on the highs and lows of three brothers' lives and a few mediocre moments in between, the film is largely based on their obsession with surfing.
However, the plot doesn't really thicken whilst in the water; more so on land, with the oldest brother's idea to sell surf gear to surfers.
"People are out there waiting to surf better because of our gear," Myles Pollard's character announces to his brothers, only to be mocked for thinking 'big picture'.
Throw in a bit of tough luck with a bikie gang and a questionable financial hold on the family home to make them work harder at getting the job done and you have your plot.
"When there's swell we surf and when it's flat we work".
As every surfer might agree, life is much better while the boys are in the water, and I felt a constant desire for them to return to the surf.
This is because the cinematography really peaked at the beach scenes: sweeping shots of the incredible Margaret River coastline, turquoise rolling swell accompanied by a thunderous sound, ridiculous amounts of dolphins and whales splashing about, and glass-like droplets flying around before settling on the camera lens.
The surfing shots are also impressive and spectators at this year's Margaret River Pro could only wish for such views of the competition.
The camera follows young show-off surfer Jimmy Kelly through glistening barrels, rocks about during wipeouts, and sinks down to capture dramatic underwater scenes.
A wipeout early in the film manages to steal all noise from the audience with its clever shooting.
In black and white film, which Drift is born into, young Jimmy takes a brutal dive below water and becomes caught with a sickening thump of his foot into reef.
Through a wide shot, the child is shown struggling at the bottom with metres and metres of water between him and the surface.
Internally, I was gasping, feeling sick from the nightmare of drowning, and hoped Drift wouldn't begin with a death.
Thankfully, Jimmy is freed and allowed to become a full-fledged surfer.
So is the film hard to get into if you aren't a Margaret River local?
I found the beginning fun because I was distracted by spotting familiar places, but if you haven't visited the region then you're likely to be just as captivated by its beauty.
In terms of the story, the super speedy dialogue may be an issue at first, with characters speaking with different inflection to what some are used to.
I'm not sure if that's how they spoke in the 70s, or if I was just seated too far away and battling 1300 sets of breathing to hear, but eventually I settled into it.
The cast do a brilliant job, although it has to be said that Sam Worthington has a much smaller role than is indicated throughout Drift 's promotion. His character is quite reclusive, though there is a great moment involving a shotgun and the phrase, "peace".
The lead stars are actually Myles Pollard, who plays the uptight older brother, and Xavier Samuel as Jimmy, who pulls off the silkiest surfie hair I've ever seen.
The soundtrack is well done, with a blend of classics and Triple J tracks, and it isn't overpowering. There are times when all is silent but the splashing of water as the boys sit and discuss things out in the ocean, and this is a refreshing change from films that push a constant need for sound and action.
Overall, I think people of any age and hometown can enjoy Drift , as it works to connect imagery and sounds of past and modern days while showcasing the beauty of Margaret River through a storyline that isn't particularly strong but pulls you along for a ride.
