Running Time: 100 Minutes
Certification: 15
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julian McMahon, Nic Cassim, Miranda Tapsell, Alexander Bertrand, Justin Rosniak, Rahel Romahn, Finn Little, Charlotte Maggi
With his career thus far, Lorcan Finnegan has made a name for himself directing attention-grabbing features that get rather strange. Returning for his fourth film, The Surfer sees Finnegan uniting forces with a powerhouse actor whose efforts are a solid fit for this tale; Nicolas Cage. The opening can throw viewers off as it shows an idyllic looking beach where surfers enjoy riding the waves. This moment feels peaceful and magical, a feeling that is noticeably different from what following after.
Arriving at the beach soon after is a flash car, driven by a man (Nicolas Cage) returning to a place he fondly remembers from his childhood. He intends to surf on Luna Beach with his son (Finn Little), and use the opportunity to share how he's buying back a nearby home that once belonged to his own father. These plans are disrupted by an aggressive surfing gang who threaten them with violence, saying that the beach is only for locals. Left humiliated, the man is drawn into a conflict that rises in aggression alongside the summer's punishing heat.
Known only as The Surfer, the lead character is not in a good place. Living out of his car and going through a divorce, he has returned to somewhere that conjures up fond memories, hoping the experience will bring back some happiness to his life. When the character talks about his love for surfing, Cage effectively sells this fondness for the pastime which gave him such peace. But his present-day experiences are a far cry from his nostalgic memories, and the character is being consumed within by a desire to return to that feeling.
He is repeatedly told that the best option is to leave, but he disregards any opportunity to walk away by doubling down on his attempts. His refusal to admit defeat eats away at the character, and it leaves one wondering how far he will go to reclaim what he previously had. It leaves the protagonist as an increasingly disheveled wreck whose life is falling apart, despite his best efforts, and Cage dives fully into this aspect with ease.
The architect of his hostile nightmare is Scally, a mysterious cult leader that the locals swarm to, played by an entrancing Julian McMahon. His regressive teachings to the locals centre around male roles in society, and the importance of destressing by violently attacking outsiders. As the narrative sees a charismatic leader guiding impressionable young men to committing horrendous acts, it adds to this absurdist tale about the inescapable nightmare of toxic masculinity.
As the overpowering sun bears down on The Surfer, who feels that all are laughing at his misfortune, the tension is keenly felt across this feature. This is courtesy of Finnegan's marvelous direction, delivering disorientating and surreal visuals which give this story a unique style. If you are on this film's bizarre wavelength, this will be a welcoming cinematic oddity, but it is understandable that some will feel alienated by the choices which includes the camera work and intense close-ups.
There is a sense that the story runs on for longer than necessary, and could have been more impactful with a tighter runtime under 90-minutes. Yet, at it's core, there remains power in this magical realist tale of a man wishing to rediscover a calmness that he has long lost. The Surfer is an effective reminder that, no matter how much we wish to recapture the past in our search for nostalgia, there is no going back.
The Surfer is available in UK and Irish cinemas now
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