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Nicolas Cage's 'The Surfer' Makes Waves with Bold Themes and Acclaimed Performance

Released in U.S. theaters today, Lorcan Finnegan's existential surf-noir explores identity, toxic masculinity, and human fallibility through a strikingly surreal lens.

This image released by Roadside Attractions shows Nicolas Cage in a scene from "The Surfer." (Roadside Attractions via AP)
Nicolas Cage at the Golden Globes on Jan. 5, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.
Photo: Roadside Attractions.
Nicolas Cage appears at the SFFILM Awards Night at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on Dec. 4, 2023.

Overview

  • Nicolas Cage stars as an unnamed protagonist who returns to his childhood beach in Australia, confronting a surf gang while grappling with personal and societal conflicts.
  • The film, directed by Lorcan Finnegan and written by Thomas Martin, combines Australian New Wave influences with surreal cinematography to depict a psychological descent.
  • Critics praise Cage's nuanced performance, balancing misguided determination and vulnerability as a man clinging to a past that no longer exists.
  • Themes of toxic masculinity are satirized through Scally, a surf gang leader and men's coach who monetizes fraternity-style hazing to enforce territorial dominance.
  • Released today by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions, 'The Surfer' is lauded for its disorienting visuals, thematic depth, and Cage's late-career resurgence.