Bra Boys (2007)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Blistering performances.

Maroubra is now gentrifying suburb, the NSW state government (Liberal = conservative)has sold off the Long Bay jail site mentioned in this documentary; to developers for apartments. And those multi million dollar apartments won't be for housing commission 'boys' as many of this film's participants were . . . in the day.The doco was re-shown recently on free to air television. It reinforced that sport -- surfing and ruby league in this case -- provides a way out of poverty for some who otherwise wouldn't have a path, in contrast to the drug financed, homicidal chaos that is today's (2016) American gang culture. Although it was interesting to see members of the Comanchero motor bike gang referenced as interlocutors in the context of the Cronulla 'race' riots -- which didn't spread to Maroubra on the scale expected. Another vignette highlighted an interviewee's observation that group recognition was ethnic and colour blind.An interviewee opines in a further vignette that; the culture of the area and the group, benefited some group members because it increased their tolerance for high risk endeavours e.g. big wave surfing. Early on, in a telling interview, a university professor explains the predicament of local kids caused by the policing practice of fining juveniles for loitering and other misdemeanours -- as seen in Ferguson USA (2015). The fines mount up to a couple of thousand dollars by the time kids are 16 (legal driving age) which means they can't get a license and consequently that avenue (driving for local delivers)of social and economic participation is foreclosed.Is the individualism of the atomic family socially useful? The doco highlighted the support a multi-generational family can provide, with in this case, the grandmother offering a long term physically safe environment with food set against the boys mother's dysfunctional and unsafe predicament.A cult classic for anthropologists, sociologists and voyeurs.

This movie is astonishingly biased and is based on the opinion of gang members rather than true fact.The movie basically attempts to justify a murder committed by one of the Abberton brothers, who head the group. It also accuses policemen of starting a fight with gang members when both groups were attending functions at the same location."Bra Boys" encourages youngsters to leave school and take up a life of dangerous surfing, drug use and crime. The leaders who offer their opinions are ridiculously immature. Its wrong this movie was allowed to be released.The only good thing about the movie is Russell Crowes narration.

Bra Boys ReviewGenre Documentary Run time 85 minutes Rated M Country Australia Director Sunny Abberton Rating Bra Boys is a documentary about a gang of middle aged men, who live to surf and stick together in a brotherhood to defend themselves and their beach in an urban community called Maroubra in East Sydney, Australia. These men formed a little gang from a very young age to help each other get through the harsh reality of all their issues at home and also society in general. Three brothers in particular who were the original kids along with a couple of their mates, who stuck together when going to the beach and out in the street, just to survive and not get beaten up. As the boys got older, the gang became bigger. Life at home was terrible for most of these guys from a very young age, so they would hang out at the three Abberton brothers' grandma's house. This would now become home for them, they would meet at "Ma's" house when they skipped school and then would go down to the beach together and surf. The gang eventually grew and as the boys got older, in many ways they didn't get more mature. Drinking, partying and surfing became the regular routine for the now well known 'Bra Boys' and when the surf was too small to catch waves, you can guarantee that they could find something outrages to entertain themselves with. For example there is one particular piece of video footage of one bra boy jumping off a small cliff face into the water while lit on fire. I think this is part of who they are and what they are all about, and it is good because it is different and unique as well as absolutely stupid. This movie is mainly based around the Abberton brothers who also direct it, which does bring up the point of bias. The Bra Boys only show their side of the story which begs the question – Are they telling the full story of what their life and gang are all about, or are they hiding something and trying to better their reputation? I'm sure that the police would have quite a different view of some of the events in which the Bra Boys have been involved in. The movie shows how two of the Abberton brothers have to go to court and deal with a murder that has been put on them and the process in which they deal with it, along with the passing of their Ma whom they had great respect for. By the end of the movie the Abberton brothers show us how strong the connection is of the Bra Boy brotherhood, how they are always there for each other, and how big a part of their lives the beach is. They make something out of their lives instead of doing drugs and sitting in the background. I think that it is astonishing where a couple of the Bra Boys have got themselves to in life. The Bra Boys are very well known for being able to handle anything painful. To take off on some of those giant waves knowing that there is a coral reef right below, knowing that you are putting your own life at risk and if worst comes to worst – you could die, I think that you have to have a pretty strong mindset to be able to step outside that barrier. These men display that mindset with a very positive and aggressive attitude. They will do anything, and I mean ANYTHING, to catch that perfect, giant wave. The Bra Boys are a strong cult and a big part of the Australian culture, a brotherhood that never backs down and lets other people push them around.They live to surf and surf to live!I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and think that it is a great insight into what the Bra Boys have achieved to have come out of the slumps and make something out of life. David GYC

Enough people have waxed lyrical about this film so I will lay of the heavy dissection. As young surfer growing up in on the North Shore of Auckland New Zealand I can fully appreciate the sentiments around "the locals only" culture but never to the extent as portrayed here.A good movie for the footage of some heavy duty surfing on some out of control breaks. The Abberton brothers and crew have large kahunas I will give them that.You can almost taste the biased portrayal of the murder of the Hinds character. You would think that he deserved his fate and Jai & Koby were angels from heaven come to deliver the world from this evil menace. Unfortunately most kids in the Maroubra community will now come to think of these brothers as heroes for killing another human being be it an act of self defence or intentional. It is never okay to take a another persons life even if you came from the worst possible family environment possible.One last point...where are all the females?? Apart from the grandmother their seems to be a heavy underlying gay tone. Even in the group scenes their is a total distinct lack of female presence. I would have got out of there for that reason alone ha ha