You know that feeling when you're trying so hard to hold onto someone that you actually end up pushing them away? That's basically the soul of the movie Ride. Released in 2014, it was a huge passion project for Helen Hunt. She didn't just show up and act; she wrote the script, directed the whole thing, and spent months in the freezing water actually learning to surf.
It’s a story about a high-strung New York magazine editor named Jackie. She’s the kind of woman who probably has her son’s life scheduled out until he’s fifty. When her son, Angelo (played by Brenton Thwaites), decides he’s done with NYU and flees to California to surf, Jackie does exactly what you’d expect a helicopter parent to do. She follows him.
She literally gets on a plane, hires a limo driver, and stalks him.
But what starts as a comedy about a "fish out of water" (pun intended) turns into something much heavier. Honestly, it’s one of those movies that didn’t get nearly enough credit when it came out because people saw "Helen Hunt" and "Surfing" and assumed it was just a fluffy beach flick. It’s not.
What Helen Hunt The Ride Actually Tells Us About Letting Go
Most people who search for Helen Hunt The Ride are looking for a plot summary or wondering if it's based on a true story. While it isn't a strict biography, Hunt has mentioned in interviews that the idea came from her own observations and conversations about "surf moms." She wanted to explore that terrifying moment when a parent realizes their child is a separate human being with their own—often weird—dreams.
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The movie hits a turning point when Jackie decides that if her son is going to stay in California to surf, she’s going to learn how to do it too. She wants to prove it's easy. She wants to "conquer" his world.
She hires a surf instructor named Ian, played by Luke Wilson. Wilson is great here—he’s the perfect, laid-back foil to Jackie’s manic energy. He tells her something that basically becomes the theme of the whole film: "The surfboard is an inanimate object in an ever-changing environment."
Think about that for a second.
You can’t control the ocean. You can only control how you stand on the board. Jackie is a control freak in an environment she cannot control, and that metaphor is what makes the movie stick with you.
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The Real Emotional Core
Midway through, the movie drops a bit of a bombshell. We find out that Jackie and Angelo are mourning a massive loss—the death of Angelo’s brother. This changes everything.
Suddenly, her overprotectiveness isn't just annoying; it’s a trauma response. She’s terrified of losing the only child she has left. When she finally gets into the water, it’s not just about surfing anymore. It’s about literal and figurative baptism. There’s a scene where she goes out to disperse her son’s ashes in the ocean, and it’s genuinely one of the most moving things Hunt has ever filmed.
Why The Surf Scenes Look So Real
If you watch the movie, you’ll notice the surfing doesn't look like typical Hollywood CGI nonsense. That’s because Helen Hunt actually learned to surf for the role. She was in her 50s at the time, which, let’s be real, is an impressive time to start a sport that involves being pummeled by waves.
The film was dedicated to Sonny Miller, a legendary surf photographer who died shortly after filming. He was the one who helped Hunt capture the "poetry" of the waves. They didn't use big, flashy rigs. Instead, they used GoPros, jet skis, and specialized water housings to make you feel like you're actually bobbing in the lineup with them.
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Critics Were Actually Quite Split
When it hit theaters (and VOD) in 2015, the reviews were all over the place.
- Some critics called it a "bourgeois vanity project."
- Others, like those at The Guardian, admitted that while the setup was a bit "rote," the dialogue was sharp as a tack.
- The Wrap praised it for having the guts to talk about real trauma underneath the "glossy" exterior.
The truth is somewhere in the middle. It’s a "medium-sized" movie. It’s not a $200 million blockbuster, and it’s not a gritty, depressing indie. It’s a human story.
Actionable Takeaways from Ride
If you’re watching Helen Hunt The Ride for more than just the scenery, there are a few things you can actually apply to your own life, especially if you're a parent or someone struggling with a major life transition.
- Stop Editing Other People's Stories: Jackie is an editor by trade, and she tries to "edit" her son's life. The movie shows that you have to let people write their own messy first drafts.
- Embrace the "Water Brain": Hunt talked about how, when you're in the water, you can't think straight. Sometimes, getting out of your head and into your body—whether through surfing, hiking, or just walking—is the only way to process grief.
- Respect the Environment: You can't change the "waves" of life. You can only change your stance. If you're fighting the current, you're going to drown. If you paddle with it, you might actually get somewhere.
The movie ends on a note that feels right. There’s no magical "everything is fixed" moment. Instead, there’s just a mother and son surfing together, acknowledging that they are both moving in different directions, and that’s okay.
To get the most out of the film, look for the small details in the background of the L.A. scenes—the coyotes, the taco shacks, and the way the light hits the water. Hunt clearly loved the setting, and it shows in every frame.
Next Steps for the Viewer:
If you want to see Helen Hunt's evolution as a filmmaker, watch her first directorial effort, Then She Found Me (2007), right after this. It covers similar themes of motherhood and identity but from a completely different, New York-centric perspective. Comparing the two gives you a great look at how she uses environment to tell a story.