THE SURFER -- Riding the Absurd Wave

Reviewed by Jonathan Berk

Our expectations of a movie can be influenced by a number of factors. If you’re only familiar with a few details, like the lead actor and the few selected moments shown in the trailer, it’s easy to be led astray into thinking what the actual film will be about. Recently, Lorcan Finnegan’s film, The Surfer, subverted my expectations. In this case, the trailer and the inclusion of Nicolas Cage led me to expect more of a revenge movie, but I made the mistake of overlooking a key detail, not realizing that Finnegan’s directed the 2019 film Vivarium. The Surfer was far more abstract and metaphorical than I’d expected.

A man (Cage) returns to his childhood home, hoping that buying his father's old house will resolve many of his problems. The beach by his soon-to-be home is where he started surfing, and he brings his son to experience the beauty of the surf. However, he’s met by the “Bay Boys,” who really emphasize their credo of “Don’t live here; don’t surf here!” His pride is hurt during this interaction, pushing him into an ever-rising conflict that threatens to shatter his picture-perfect plan. 

Cage excels at portraying the absurd. While his character has moments of relatability, he also takes the performance to the extreme. This is something that Cage has proven to excel at time and time again, and that’s no exception here. Similar in some ways to his character in Dream Scenario, he is a normal man with hopes of making sense of his life, but finds himself in an ever-spiraling situation. Every time it seems things couldn’t possibly get worse, they do. Cage sells the descent his character must fall into before he is able to start to fight his way out, better than almost any actor can. What Cage brings to a film like this is quite interesting. His performance feels so big and over-the-top at times, but he manages to bring in these little nuanced elements that blend together in such a way to keep everything balanced. It wouldn’t work if the film itself were semi-grounded in reality, but that’s not what is happening here. This element of the story is made clear not only by Cage’s performance but also by how it is depicted on screen.​

Finnegan’s film establishes early on that it’s not going for realism. There are technical flourishes with the cinematography that imply things are not as they seem. Is it the heat wearing on the character? We see close-ups and heat waves that imply the character’s psyche is in peril. There are rapid cuts to images that could be memories, premonitions, or something else altogether. We are shown through film language that this is not just another beach movie about surfing. As the film reveals more about the characters in this ironically confined setting, it becomes clear that it aims for a deeper meaning. 

Scally (Julian McMahon) is the leader of the beach, with his shack acting as a clubhouse for the group of teens. There are various elements at the beach in play: a homeless man living out of his car, the coffee shop employee, the various surfers, a police officer, and a few nearby residents who frequent the beach. Their interactions with Cage help to establish that things aren’t exactly what they seem. Scally is at the center of all of it, and McMahon delivers an equally balanced performance, being equal parts welcoming and menacing throughout.  These questions of reality are hinted at with those flashes of images, but the film keeps some of its mysteries close to its chest. Yet, astute film viewers will see the potential premise as it plays out. 

At times, The Surfer doesn’t fully connect, and its direction feels somewhat too silly. However, this is a film with much to appreciate, and its overall experience is a satisfying one. The uniqueness of Finnegan’s style also delivers an abundance of joy, as he has a distinctive voice. While the film generates tense moments, it maintains a brisk pace. It explores its ideas with a zany bit of anxiety, and it’s all held together by Cage’s performance. If you like Cage’s more odd films, then you’ll likely find joy in this one as well. 

The Surfer will be in theaters on May 2. 

Rating: 3.5/5

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