Lorcan Finnegan (director)
(studio)
15 (certificate)
100 (length)
09 May 2025 (released)
4 d
The Surfer (Nicolas Cage) has taken his son (Finn Little) out of school to both show him the place where he surfed as a child. And that from the waves they will be able to see his childhood home that he is in the final stages of purchasing.
That is until the estate agent calls to say he’s received a higher offer. The surfer says he can raise the money contacting brokers and anyone else he can think of.
Arriving at the beach and getting ready to surf they are confronted by surfer yobs with the mantra ‘don’t live here, don’t surf here’. They are beholden to Scally (Julian McMahon) who rules the area and known to the surfer from childhood.
That cuts no ice due to past events and Cage and son are forced off the beach. His warning to other surfers goes unheeded and they are left bloodied.
From there it a descent as refuses to leave waiting for the call about the money. His mobile battery fails for which he offers his father’s watch as a guarantee if the beach barista will charge his mobile, who stiffs him. His car is attacked, and the police have no interest in him rather advise him to leave the area.
The surfer’s gradual threadbare appearance goes hand in hand with his mental decline. As in most Cage films there’s a breaking point.
Vivarium (2019) director, Lorcan Finnegan, written by Thomas Martin, male bonding and toxicity to its limits (another Australian film out this week Birdeater works with similar themes.). At times the bullying inflicted on Cage is horrifying (for both character and audience). Hunger forces him to eat a rat and access to drinking water is contaminated by dog droppings.
The sun and beach also give the film a vaguely psychedelic appearance, and its cruel. The heat of the day relentless upping the psychological torture on Cage, as past events come back to haunt him.
As for the prolific Cage, he’s been here before though his rage is contained without the expected cataclysmic outbursts. It’s a more nuanced performance; battling and battering himself with his memories as ferociously as Scally’s mob do which serves the character and film well.
The Surfer will be in UK and Irish cinemas from 9 May 2025.
