Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- breezy
- nostalgic
- wistful
- summer afternoon
- surf movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film ambitious and visually impressive but uneven, with mixed performances and an overemphatic treatment of its themes.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The mythical Big Wednesday wave gives the friends a shared symbol for endurance, adulthood, and transcendence.
Matt, Jack, and Leroy remain connected while relationships, social upheaval, and military service test their youthful bond.
The California surf idyll is disrupted by the Vietnam era and the broader loss of simple youthful freedoms.
The climactic encounter with the exceptional waves turns surfing into an epic, visually heightened ordeal.
Films like Big Wednesday, and why
The Last Picture Show
youthful friendship, counterculture drift, and coming-of-age nostalgia shaped by the Vietnam era
American Graffiti
male friendship, youthful freedom, and wistful transition from adolescence into adulthood
Breaking Away
sports-centered camaraderie, masculine codes, and reflective period drama
The Wanderers
ensemble coming-of-age drama where youthful ideals collide with social change and adulthood
Movie Details
- Director
- John Milius
- Release Date
- 1978-05-26
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (198)
Cast
- Jan-Michael Vincent
- William Katt
- Gary Busey
- Patti D'Arbanville
- Lee Purcell
- Sam Melville
- Reb Brown
- Robert Englund
- Joe Spinell
- Hank Worden
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Big Wednesday about?
- Three California surfers struggle to preserve their friendship and youthful freedom as the Vietnam era reshapes their lives and they await a legendary wave.
- What is Big Wednesday like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Big Wednesday as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Big Wednesday violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Big Wednesday as mild.
- What did critics think of Big Wednesday?
- Critics broadly found the film ambitious and visually impressive but uneven, with mixed performances and an overemphatic treatment of its themes.
- Which films are like Big Wednesday?
- Films with a similar feel include The Last Picture Show, American Graffiti, Breaking Away, and The Wanderers.
- How long is Big Wednesday?
- Big Wednesday runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Big Wednesday?
- In United States, Big Wednesday is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
