The Surfer (2024 film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Psychological thriller film |
The Surfer is a 2024 Australian psychological thriller helmed by director Lorcan Finnegan, with a screenplay by Thomas Martin, featuring Nicolas Cage in the lead role. The narrative centers on a man whose intention to surf at a picturesque beach alongside his son is thwarted by antagonistic locals.
The movie made its debut in the Midnight Screenings segment at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2024. Its US theatrical release followed on 2 May 2025, with subsequent launches in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 9 May, and Australia on 15 May. It became accessible on the Australian streaming platform Stan starting 15 June. Notably, this film marks Julian McMahon's final acting appearance prior to his passing.
Plot
A man known as the Surfer drives his adolescent son in a Lexus to Luna Bay, aiming to show him the beach house he hopes to purchase—his late father's childhood home where he once surfed. Upon arrival, they are confronted and turned away by a localist group led by Scally, a self-proclaimed surf expert committed to keeping outsiders off the beach. The son is embarrassed, prompting the Surfer to return him to his mother before heading back to the parking area.
Determined to finalize the purchase before Christmas, the Surfer pressures his real estate agent to secure financing exceeding one million dollars to outbid a competing buyer. During this time, he receives a work-related call, and his estranged wife informs him that she is engaged and expecting a child, shattering his hopes of reuniting the family at the beach house. Both she and the agent advise him to let go of his fixation.
The Surfer notices a Bum residing in an old station wagon in the parking lot, who claims that Scally was responsible for murdering his award-winning surfer son and killing his dog. That night, when the Surfer's board disappears, he confronts the gang but is forced to retreat after an altercation. Police arrive but turn out to be Scally's associates, warning him to stop causing disturbances.
A photographer assists by jump-starting his car and takes pictures of him. When his phone battery dies, he cannot purchase food without credit; consequently, the food vendor demands his father's watch as security. After losing his shoes and coat in a restroom incident, he discovers that the food cart has closed—leaving him without basic necessities.
While attempting to reclaim his board, the Surfer witnesses a new gang member undergoing branding. He is chased away, has his car vandalized, and is forced to hide overnight. The following morning, he finds his Lexus missing. In a state of delirium and desperation, he pleads with beachgoers for financial help but is haunted by visions of a dead man in the surf.
The real estate agent mistakes him for a homeless person and denies any acquaintance with him. A policeman mocks him by claiming his Lexus was never stolen; instead, he now resides in the dilapidated station wagon. Taking a shark-tooth necklace from it—a memento of the Bum’s deceased son—the Surfer scavenges for food and water while enduring visions of humiliation.
The photographer returns with evidence confirming his identity—a photo showing him beside his Lexus—reviving his determination. He confronts Pitbull and nearly drowns him before Scally intervenes to patch things up, revealing that this ordeal was designed as a test of worthiness both to purchase the house and join their community. To prove himself, the Surfer sets fire to the station wagon; meanwhile, his son arrives on a bicycle to find the Lexus waiting.
At last allowed to surf, the Surfer, his son (the Kid), Scally, and the gang head toward the beach but are intercepted by the armed Bum. The Surfer persuades him to allow passage by returning the shark-tooth necklace. As they paddle out into the water, the Bum kills Scally and then takes his own life, lying in the surf just as the Surfer’s father once did.
Production
Drawing inspiration from the Lunada Bay Boys, the announcement of Nicolas Cage joining the cast came in May 2023. This project, a collaboration between Australian and Irish production companies, was developed by Tea Shop Productions, Arenamedia, Lovely Productions, and Gramercy Park Media, with backing from Australia's Screenwest. Principal photography was conducted in Yallingup, Western Australia, during the latter part of 2023 and wrapped up in December.
Release
The Surfer made its debut in the Midnight Screenings category at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2024. It was also showcased in the Limelight program at the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam on 31 January 2025. The film’s theatrical rollout included a U.S. release by Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate Films on 2 May 2025; followed by distribution in Ireland and the United Kingdom through Vertigo Releasing on 9 May; and an Australian launch via Madman Films on 15 May. Additionally, it became available for streaming on Stan starting 15 June.
Reception
Josh Slater-Williams from IndieWire assigned the film a B- grade.[1] Meanwhile, Xan Brooks of The Guardian rated it four stars, describing it as "a gloriously demented B-movie thriller."[2]
See also
External links
- ↑ Slater-Williams, Josh (17 May 2024). "'The Surfer' Review: Nicolas Cage Goes Mad in This Hallucinatory Australian Thriller". IndieWire. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ↑ Brooks, Xan (17 May 2024). "The Surfer review – beach bum Nic Cage surfs a high tide of toxic masculinity". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 May 2024.