Bra Boys Film Analysis

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“Bra Boys: blood is thicker than water” is an interesting one-sided documentary about a group of surfers in Australia. Bra boys is based in Maroubra, in Sydney on the 2nd most popular beach in Australia. It is unapologetic about the antisocial behaviour that group mentality and machismo can trigger and doesn’t shy from depicting violence, conflict and uneasy relationships with authority.

The documentary shows the early life of the four Abberton brothers: Sunny, Jai, Koby and youngest brother Dakota. Not so willing to disclose that Koby now pulls a

sponsorship of $250 000 a year. They 're keen to play up their tough home life and upbringing.

We see their unseemly background and lives as children and why they turned all their attention to the ocean and surfing. Coming from hardened backgrounds and negligent parents, the brothers raised up to form a clan of fraternal camaraderie with the Maroubra local boys, as well as strong statuses as

world-class surfers of immense breakers.

The film’s narrative structure is, at times, difficult to navigate, partly due to Sunny’s dual role as a subject and first-time filmmaker. While the subject matter is fascinating and there 's almost enough material here for 3 documentaries, the fact that the film is produced, directed and written by one of the Abbertons’ themself presents much bias and controversy. A documentary such as this one needs certain neutrality, which never happens.

This becomes a real problem for the film when it