DOCUMENTARY; 1hr 26min
DIRECTED BY: Macario De Souza
The fear factor: Mathews
Bra Boys documentary director Macario De Souza comes out swinging with another Maroubra Beach maverick story featuring best friends and fellow daredevils Mark Mathews and Richie “Vas” Vaculik. As (Bra) boys about town, pro big-wave surfer Mark and fellow boardman and MMA (mixed martial arts) cage fighter Richie made it their personal credo to “out-surf, out-drink, out-party and out-fight” basically everyone. As long night follows hungover day, this invariably landed them both in physical and legal strife. Older and calmer as they ride out their 20s and narrating their exploits to camera with the wry wisdom of hindsight, the guys are unaffected and upfront about their spiral of sporting highs and wipe-outs and crash-bang, bar-brawl lows.
Filming over three years, De Souza also includes such key players as Richie’s understanding girlfriend and surfing champs Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning. There’s nothing novel to see here, people, but Mark and Richie are easy to like and their nuggety, never-say-die chops are the stuff that stayers and winners are made of.
