By Jenna Clark
“Rip Tide” envisions what life is like for someone who is thrown into the life of a famous full-time model.
The film illustrates the emotional toll that the modeling industry and public scrutiny has on Cora (Debby Ryan) as she is forced to live out her mother’s dream. The movie begins with Cora, a distinguished supermodel, being severely scolded by a worker after offering input at a photo shoot. This, along with the constant nagging of her manager and mother, Sofia (Danielle Carter), causes her to have an emotional breakdown where she falls down a flight of stairs and is then defamed in the media.
Cora decides that it is time to take a stand and do something on her own terms. For her, this means taking a trip to Australia to visit her Aunt Margot (Genevieve Hegney), a professional surfer who is struggling with the tragic death of her husband, Caleb (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor).
Upon her arrival to Australia, Cora meets Tom (Andrew Creer), an old childhood friend, who teaches her about the important things in life. Leaving her supermodel world behind, Cora pursues her passion for design by designing the outfits for the Tea Tree Beach event. Cora also finds an escape in the popular Australian pastime of surfing.
When she receives a call from her mother demanding her to come home to confirm a life-changing modeling contract, Cora is unable to bring herself to leave her new life and relationship with Tom. Towards the end of the film, Sofia flees New York after finally realizing everything that her daughter has been telling her. Cora reveals that she has been accepted into college and decides to continue designing fashion.
This film stands out from other family and romance films because of its difference from the norm. The inspirational message of taking a stand and being brave is not illustrated in the cliché ways of most films, but actually resonates with the viewer with the many climactic scenes in the movie, such as when Cora walks out on her mother and when she swims into the dangerous riptide.
Viewers sympathize for the main character as she is an adolescent woman with a lot of power trying to guide herself towards the future of her choice. Although one is taken into the relationship between Cora and Tom, it does not oversaturate the film, but attractively complements it. Familial love is also illustrated when Cora swims into a riptide to save her aunt who tries surfing after having stopped for over a year after the death of her husband.
Filmed in Australia, the beautiful beaches and surrounding areas are ravishing. Upon first glance, one realizes that no green screen was used in the making. On-location filming is becoming a rarity in modern filmmaking, so it is refreshing to see natural beauty without the special effects.
Although this movie is not in theaters in America, “Rip Tide” is available for purchase on platforms such as iTunes and Amazon video.