It wasn’t just a rivalry—it was a takeover. Kevin Pearce was on track to dethrone Shaun White at the Olympics.
And we’ve got the GoPro footage to prove it.
Trailer for “The Crash Reel”
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Kevin tries to get back on a snowboard even after doctors tell him another crash could kill him instantly.
- Snowboarding legend Sarah Burke, who also appears in the film, died from a crash on the same Park City pipe just two years later.
Watch “The Crash Reel”
You can watch “The Crash Reel” through various platforms on JustWatch.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 94/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 94/100 (Users); 96/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: Directed by Lucy Walker, who also did “Waste Land” and “Countdown to Zero.” She blends action sports footage with raw family drama—without a single wasted shot.
Release Date: Premiered at Sundance on January 19, 2013. Later aired on HBO.
My Review of “The Crash Reel”
The Setup
Kevin Pearce was supposed to be the next Shaun White. He was beating Shaun in competitions. Sponsors lined up. Olympic gold seemed inevitable—until a 2010 half-pipe crash in Park City left him in a coma with a TBI. What follows is a brutal, emotional journey back—from a hospital bed to family debates about whether he should ever ride again.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Archival footage shows Kevin landing massive tricks and beating Shaun White before his injury.
- Family members—including Kevin’s father Simon, a former executive at Burton—struggle with whether to support or stop his return to riding.
- Kevin’s brother David, who has Down syndrome, becomes the film’s moral compass—urging Kevin not to snowboard again because he doesn’t want to lose him.
- The film tackles head trauma in sports, showing how even mild injuries can stack up into lifelong damage.
- Doctors explain how TBI alters impulse control—making injured athletes the worst judges of their own risk.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- The film premiered at the X Games—the first movie ever screened at the event.
- Kevin’s friends visit him in the hospital and start crying—not because he might die, but because they know he’ll never be the same rider again.
- The Pearce family created the LoveYourBrain foundation after the doc to support people with brain injuries and promote mindfulness programs.
- The Pearces lived in Vermont but were always traveling for Kevin’s competitions—he basically grew up on the road.
- Shaun White does not appear in new interviews—but footage of their rivalry and Kevin beating him in 2009 sets the stage for the stakes.
Wrap Up
“The Crash Reel” isn’t about winning—it’s about figuring out who you are when your biggest dream becomes your biggest risk. It’s the best doc I’ve seen on TBI, identity, and family.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc