Why ‘Teen Beach Movie’ is a Cinematic Masterpiece

QUINN DWYER

“Teen Beach Movie” is a 2013 Disney Channel original movie that reached 8.4 million viewers on its first premiere and is today the third highest rated movie in Disney Channel history. It inspired teens globally to think freely.

The movie stars two lovers, Brady Derulo and Mackenzie Fox, from the 21st century, who become trapped in a 1960s beach movie known as “Wet Side Story.”

Mackenzie’s aunt comes to take her to a boarding school, but she and Brady instead find themselves in a musical wonderland that is slowly integrating into the movie world. They’re on the clock, as Mackenzie has to make it home in time for her flight to school.

Featuring many different forms of music, from the beat drops of “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin,” to the tap dancing of “Can’t Stop Singing,” and the heartwarming “Meant To Be,” it captures the energy of surfing perfectly. The music shows off the competitive side of the sport in the modern day section, and the lighthearted aspect inside in “Wet Side Story.”

The movie shows how two opposing groups can end up having more in common. Brady and Mackenzie find themselves trapped in a surf and turf war between surfers and bikers, who in the end unite after seeing that love is more powerful than hate.

When Mackenzie gets back to the real world, she realizes living for someone else’s dream doesn’t make her happy and rejects what her family thinks is best to follow her own dreams.

“Teen Beach Movie” inspires teens to take risks and follow their dreams and not somebody else’s. In 2013, not many people talked about what mattered to student mental health, but this masterpiece is a message to put your dreams first. “Teen Beach Movie’’ has every feeling of summer in the 2010s and is a must watch for anybody who’s looking for a movie whose magic is beyond its time.