Plot Summary

Surf’s Up follows Cody Maverick, an adolescent rockhopper penguin and an ambitious, up-and-coming surfer, voiced by Shia LaBeouf. On the verge of competing in his very first professional contest, Cody leaves his family behind in Buzztanbul, Antarctica, and sets off for Pen Gu Island to participate in the legendary Big Z Memorial Surf-Off. Accompanied by a documentary film crew that records his every move, Cody sees the competition as his ticket to fame, respect, and personal validation.

Along his journey, Cody encounters a colorful cast of characters who shape his experience both in and out of the water: the endlessly optimistic surf fanatic Chicken Joe (Jon Heder), slick and calculating surf promoter Reggie Belafonte (James Woods), talent scout Mikey Abromowitz (Mario Cantone), and the enthusiastic lifeguard Lani Aliikai (Zooey Deschanel). Each of them recognizes Cody’s raw talent, while also noticing how his obsession with winning often leads him astray.

Cody’s perspective begins to change when he unexpectedly crosses paths with a reclusive former surfing legend (Jeff Bridges), whose fall from glory offers a powerful counterpoint to Cody’s own dreams of stardom. Through this unlikely mentorship, Cody gradually discovers that true fulfillment does not always come from trophies or first-place finishes, but from passion, integrity, and finding one’s own rhythm on the waves.