It’s Christmastime in Australia, and ‘The Surfer’ is looking to buy his childhood home, which is back on the market. It’s a real quest for the title character of this new psychological thriller with a soap opera-vibe. By living in this house on a cliff, overlooking a gorgeous beach, The Surfer can finally feel whole again. But as the obstacles quickly, and viciously, pile up for him in this car park (almost the entire movie takes place in one location), we realize something he doesn’t: that maybe he’s not destined to live here after all.
Nicolas Cage plays an enraged man well. Unfortunately the Oscar winner’s performance is the only aspect of “The Surfer” that kept me somewhat engaged. A major turn-off is director Lorcan Finnegan’s in-your-face, heavy-handed direction. There are loads of intentional close-ups, including The Surfer’s abstract visions, and we’re forced down some wacky paths. Finnegan doesn’t allow us to organically observe and interpret what’s going on, similar to what he does in his 2020 sci-fi thriller “Vivarium” with Jesse Eisenberg — which also had plenty of plot problems.
Most scenes in “The Surfer” are tedious and flat. About an hour in, amidst some true chaos, it seems like we’ve got it all figured out. The illogical is actually logical when it comes to the fate of The Surfer. But in the final half hour the script (by Thomas Martin) really falls apart, turning surprisingly conventional, and in the end, just doesn’t add up. The payoff is bland, and you’re left with a sour aftertaste.
Hang Ten? More like 3 out of 10.
LCJ GRADE: D+
Running Time: 100 min.