The Surfer

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2:24

The Surfer

R,

2025,

1h 43m,

Mystery & Thriller/

Comedy/

Drama

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The Surfer: Trailer 1

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84%

174 Reviews

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Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

174 Reviews

Popcornmeter

In the psychological thriller directed by Lorcan Finnegan, a man returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son. But his desire to hit the waves is thwarted by a group of locals whose mantra is "don't live here, don't surf here." Humiliated and angry, the man is drawn into a conflict that keeps rising in concert with the punishing heat of the summer and pushes him to his breaking point.

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Critics Consensus

Nicolas Cage expertly rides the waves of toxic masculinity in this sand filled arena of torment.

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Lou Thomas

Sight & Sound

Dec 31, 2025

Finnegan’s film is a more visually arresting one than Frank Perry’s, occasionally bordering on the psychedelic, but as strong portrayals of a lonely man pushed over the edge by his demons, the two are of a piece.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Oct 8, 2025

It trades in vibes rather than ideas and as such, it probably shouldn’t work as well as it does. But there’s a horribly compulsive quality to this meltdown of a movie.

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

May 14, 2025

2/5

...although there should be a moral in [the plot] somewhere, the result is so risible and Cage’s performance so ridiculous that all you can do is laugh.

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Chelsea Hui

Mamamia

Sep 30, 2026

The Surfer is the kind of film that reminds you why cinema can be so powerful. It's weird, it's wonderful, and it's absolutely peak Nicolas Cage.

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Enrique Abenia

Cinemanía (Spain)

Jul 22, 2026

4.5/5

A striking beach thriller. [Full review in Spanish]

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Asia Frey

Lagniappe (Mobile, AL)

Sep 25, 2025

C

The Nicolas Cage completist will want to experience it, and I thought all the performances were quite good. I don’t know if the concept was complex or worthwhile enough to justify the painful viewing experience.

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Lorcan Finnegan

Director

Nicolas Cage

The Surfer

Julian McMahon

Scally

Nicholas Cassim

The Bum

Miranda Tapsell

The Photographer

Alexander Bertrand

Pitbull

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Synopsis

In the psychological thriller directed by Lorcan Finnegan, a man returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son. But his desire to hit the waves is thwarted by a group of locals whose mantra is "don't live here, don't surf here." Humiliated and angry, the man is drawn into a conflict that keeps rising in concert with the punishing heat of the summer and pushes him to his breaking point.

Director: Lorcan Finnegan
Producer: Leonora Darby, James Harris, Robert Connolly, James Grandison, Brunella Cocchiglia, Nicolas Cage, Nathan Klingher
Screenwriter: Thomas Martin
Distributor: Lionsgate / Roadside Attractions
Production Co: Arenamedia, Tea Shop Productions
Rating: R (Language|Drug Content|Sexual Material|Some Violence|Suicide)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 2, 2025, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.3M
Runtime: 1h 43m

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