Chasing Mavericks is an inspirational movie based on the true story about the life and achievements of an icon of world surfing, Jay Moriarty, who died in 2001 at age of 21, and imprinted himself in the memory in generations as the best of the best soul surfers. Directed by talented Curtis Hanson and Michael Apted, the movie stars Gerard Butler as Frosty Hesson, a Moriarty mentor and Jonny Weston as Jay himself. Gerard Butler name may sound familiar to you as he played King Leonidas in Zack Snyder's "300". Jonny Weston is known for his roles as Jack in Adam Christian Clark's Caroline and Jackie. Two friends unite in their quest of the life to conquer the Mavericks, most violent and highest tidal waves of North California. The waves which claimed lots of lives of legendary surfers such as Mark Foo. The film so colorfully depicts surfing Mavericks in Half Moon Bay, California, that even people who never ever tried surfing become infected by the idea to ride the wave someday. Although the real Jay Moriarty did not die in the waves (actually he drowned while practicing breath holding and meditating deep in the waters of Indian Ocean with a group of Brazilian divers), surfing on the waves of such a height could be very dangerous even for professional surfers. It's notable that Gerard Butler was heavy injured during the filming Chasing Mavericks, being submerged under two giant waves and subsequently hit by several others more while swimming towards the shore. He was taken to hospital, but his traumas have dramatically affected the filming of the movie as well as his personal life, leading him to rehab after he has developed a dependence on pain medication.