Serious Surfing Meets Comedic Chops in ‘Step Brothers’

It’s easy to say you’ll make an edit with your best friend. It’s another thing to actually do it. That wholesome detail is one of the reasons why Nolan Rapoza and Tyler Gunter’s new surf film will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. The other reason is their choice of tunes and sections to smash make for a highly enjoyable watch. 

Nolan, 27, and Tyler, 25, hail from Long Beach and Newport Beach, respectively. They’re both backed by AVVA, the Hawaii-based apparel brand that made the film possible. To indulge in their sense of humor, they filmed short skits based on the 2008 comedy Step Brothers starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. Nothing too serious, just itching their funny bone.  

As for the surfing itself, there's nothing to chuckle at. It starts with the bros going wild in familiar Southern California lineups, including a pumping day at the Wedge. Then it takes the viewer from Nolan on the North Shore to Tyler in Ireland (how good’s the chip-in 11:10?)

Bonded by a shared love of 805 Cervazas, tacos and Mexican sand bars, the final section goes down at a tapped right-hand point, the kind that would challenge even a skilled regularfoot, let alone two goofs. But they hammer away, and Nolan’s subterranean dredger that serves as the film’s ender is worth all the bragging rights. While they don't manage to sink a boat or play a tear-jerker at the Catalina Wine Mixer, these "Step Brothers" are definitely worth watching.