Jackie's whole life revolves around her son Angelo, so when she discovers he has dropped out of college and moved in with his father in order to pursue his dream of surfing, she travels from New York to California to try to convince him to rethink his choices.

After a heated exchange between mother and son, Jackie decides that the only way to understand Angelo's reasons for picking surfing over college is to take up the sport herself.

Stubborn by nature, Jackie is determined to master the craft by herself, blankly refusing help offered from passers-by, until, that is, she is rescued by handsome surfer Ian who takes it upon himself to give her a few lessons, in life as well as surfing.