gregking4 Review of The Crash Reel

The Crash Reel (2013)

compelling, life affirming and inspiring story about triumph over adversity

[7/10 · 27 October 2013]

Yes, The Crash Reel is a movie about snow boarding, but it also covers much more. Kevin Pearce was a champion snow boarder and potential Olympian until a serious fall during training in 2009 left him with hospitalised, suffering from traumatic brain injury. There followed nearly two years of physiotherapy before he was able to resume his life, although he would never again be able to pursue his passion for snow boarding. As Pearce struggles to cope with the realisation that returning to the sport he loves could be fatal, we also get to meet Pearce's loving and supportive family, including his mother who worries for his safety. And we also meet his brother David who suffers from Downs Syndrome but who is a fascinating character in his own right and whose story is also worthy of following. This documentary from Oscar nominated filmmaker Lucy Walker (Countdown To Zero, Waste Land, etc) traces Pearce's life and obsession with becoming the best snow boarder in the world. The film largely consists of footage shot over a period of fifteen years by Pearce's friends and family, which has been cleverly assembled by Walker and her editor Pedro Kos into this compelling, life affirming and inspiring story about his triumph over adversity. The film is an exploration of the risky nature of extreme sports, and how the influx of money and fame puts enormous pressure on the competitors. It also explores the intense rivalry between Pearce and his best friend and fellow champion Shaun White, who went on to win gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Extreme sports junkies will get plenty of snow boarding action and lots of the spills and spectacular falls that provide this fascinating documentary with its nicely ironic title.