reviews
Done Premiere
John John Florence makes his mark on the big screen at La Paloma
Done, just getting started at La Paloma. Photo: Lowe-White
As the lights of North County’s La Paloma Theater dimmed and tall cans emerged not-so-subtly from brown paper bags, excitement was running high, as were expectations. In the opening frames an orchestral melody came from the house speakers as John John launched into a massive full rotation on his backhand. He looked calm, casual, and expressionless. Even while spinning 6 feet above the lip, John John Florence may as well have been sleepwalking.
In its 23-minute runtime, broken down into location-specific sections, Done shows us every side of John John’s surfing. The Hawaii section is defined by impossible barrels, J-Bay by lightning carves, and West Oz by inverted, spinning things that are very difficult to explain. They all come together to paint a pretty convincing portrait of John Florence as the best surfer alive today.
Surfing performances aside, Blake Kueny proves himself an apt filmmaker as well. The pace of the movie is quick, and the edit is kept tight. The grainy, uber-hip lifestyle shots that dominate the genre are set aside for the most part, allowing the action to take front and center. The soundtrack for Done spans the gamut from orchestral tones laid over black and white, ultra slo-mo clips to heavily distorted guitars and fuzzed out vocals. The Tahiti section especially stands out as being, for lack of a better word, thoroughly gangster with its combination of staggering barrels and Killer Mike’s “Don’t Die”. Contrary to what 90 percent of surf films would have you believe, sometimes rap does belong in surfing.
By the time the credits rolled at La Paloma, it would have been tough to argue that there is a better surfer in the world than John John Florence. If you need proof, keep an eye out for Done on iTunes, where it should be released soon.
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Comments
March 2, 2013 9:56 pm
Rubio, you are a idiot. have you seen the movie? JJF is the best at airs hands down, no one even comes close. Check out the big oops in the movie, Medina cant even do a full rotation one
February 26, 2013 10:17 pm
g-off… I agree. I want to see the movie because it’s JJF, definitely not because of the trailer.
Brazilians… it’s not ever about you.
dgb… take it somplace where it’ll do some good.
JJF… keep ri[pping and stay humble and you’ll be the best that ever was.
February 26, 2013 8:24 pm
Rubio …We will see how Medina fairs this season , I think the judges saw far too many of his one manoeuvre air spinners in heats and will be looking for a more complete repetiore. He has taken the De Souza stare at the judges after a wave to a whole new level too ( look at me, look at me) I find his surfing far too repetetive and predictable where JJF has more variations in his rotations and a bigger bag of moves in general.
February 24, 2013 4:57 am
Yeah, thar gangsta music was so bad I had to hit mute!!
February 23, 2013 6:18 am
Can someone tell John John to get his thyroid checked, please? Anyone see those big barrels from that misguided let’s-support-the-Japanese-surf-industry-everything-is-0K-wankathon Japan trip soon after the tsunami caused nuclear meltdown?
Well, surprise surprise…
A recent report into the Fukushima Nuclear disaster of 2011 has shown that more than forty percent of children have thyroid abnormalities.
The Tenth Report of the Fukushima Prefecture Health Management Survey, released earlier this week, with data up to January 21, 2013, revealed that 44.2 percent of 94,975 children sampled had thyroid ultrasound abnormalities. The number of abnormalities has also been increasing over time as well as the proportion of children with nodules equal to and larger than 5.1 mm and any size cysts have increased. The report has also revealed that 10 of 186 eligible are suspected of having thyroid cancer as a result of the exposed radiation.
On Wednesday, the Fukushima Prefectural Government announced that two people who were teenagers at the time of the Fukushima No. 1 meltdown have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
Talk about killer barrels.
February 21, 2013 10:00 am
That trailer is really boring, IMO. Can’t wait to see the movie, though, based on the review. thx!
February 19, 2013 4:35 pm
Rubio…. Mik…. what difference does it make…. unless you are sleeping with them… and then, love is blind
February 19, 2013 6:53 am
Rubio, im brazilian, but today JJF is one step ahead Gabi by his skills in Big Waves….only for that
February 19, 2013 1:56 am
i meant, at end:
amazing, yes / best no
February 19, 2013 1:55 am
(no)Respect to Rubio:
not best surfer, best Brazilian…
neither are best surfer at this point.
amazing, best / best no
February 18, 2013 11:49 pm
Respect to Jon Jon. But the best surfer now is Gabriel Medina.
February 18, 2013 10:53 am
nice job Blake
February 18, 2013 9:43 am
World Champ.
February 18, 2013 12:44 am
the more i see of JJF, the more i admire.
rare.
very.