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'The Surfer' Mostly Sputters And Flails

According to Hollywood, a surfer can be one of three things: a weed-smoking, wave-chasing airhead (Jeff Spicoli); a crunchy, woo-woo hippie (some of the penguins in the startlingly charming Surf’s Up); or an edgy, degenerate type, whose passion for adrenaline is paired with a generally violent demeanor (Patrick Swayze’s Bodhi in Point Break). The truth, […]

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1 month ago

May 8, 2025

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According to Hollywood, a surfer can be one of three things: a weed-smoking, wave-chasing airhead (Jeff Spicoli); a crunchy, woo-woo hippie (some of the penguins in the startlingly charming Surf’s Up); or an edgy, degenerate type, whose passion for adrenaline is paired with a generally violent demeanor (Patrick Swayze’s Bodhi in Point Break). The truth, as ever, is somewhere in between—you can expect even the gentlest of “soul-surfers” to hiss and fight over their home break.

What, then, can we make of the unnamed protagonist (played by Nicholas Cage) in Lorcan Finnegan’s latest feature, The Surfer, beaten and humiliated in his quest to surf the Edenic waves of Luna Bay, the Australian beach where he grew up? Having been born there doesn’t grant him status as a local: “Don’t live here, don’t surf here,” goes the tag-line spat at him by the local crew. In the days leading up to Christmas, the surfer drives to the Bay to show his son the house where he grew up, which he is on the verge of buying back, if only he can outbid a competitive buyer. The surfer has long neglected his family, and a return to the wholesomeness of the beach—the beautiful surfing, the house perched on the cliff, the memory of an idyllic childhood—might help rebuild the relationships that have been sacrificed at the altar of his career.

Over the grueling 100 minutes that ensue, the surfer goes through a series of increasingly elaborate traps, pranks, and mindfucks orchestrated by the locals which will cause him to get bitten by a rat, walk on shards of glass, drink impotable water, contemplate murder, lose his watch, phone, and car, and pretty much go insane. “Localism is part of the culture,” an unhelpful cop tells the surfer. “It keeps undesirables out of the neighborhood.”

Localism is what surfers call the rule of etiquette that dictates the way a visitor should carry themselves in foreign waters: respectfully, almost bashfully. It’s a mindset I know well. I grew up spending weekends on a quiet beach 70 miles outside São Paulo, where my dad is one of the long-established locals. Once, walking to the beach, we crossed paths with a young man whom, my dad told me with some amusement, he’d recently kicked out of the water. I was shocked. My dad eats flax seeds. He’s almost disturbingly contemplative. He has habits like walking barefoot on grass first thing in the morning, to “ground” himself. He never raises his voice, though his I’m disappointed look is earth-shattering. I shuddered to think of it in the water, as he unleashed it on this kid, like he didn’t want to do this but had been left with no choice.

Like most surfers, my dad hasn’t always worked the door, as it were; he’s also been confronted, most memorably by a fuming Hawaiian local who refused to shake his hand. Along with screenwriter Thomas Martin, Finnegan stretches the stereotype of the aggressive surfer into caricature. Led by one Scott “Scally” Callahan, played gamely by Julian McMahon, the Bay Boys, as they are called, form a locals-only cult, or militia, tasked with guarding the break against intruders. The idea is that this task, along with other rituals that involve branding and taking hallucinogens, will provide the men with an outlet through which to “let out a little steam.” Scally, who is like the lunatic lovechild of Joe Rogan and Andrew Huberman, believes that modern men need a way to get in touch with the animalistic impulses that have been stifled by the tyranny of emasculation. Disciples alternate between two selves: responsible, dutiful family men and violent, base freaks. The transition between selves is painful, and for Scally, that’s the point: “You must suffer to surf,” he admonishes, repeatedly.

Finnegan had his work cut out for him when he cast, in the starring role, Nicolas Cage, America’s doyen of humiliation. Over the last couple of decades, Cage’s confused legacy—are we laughing at him, or with him?—has provided younger directors with a perfect marionette of an actor, a doll to be sadistically battered and swung around. The draw of films like 2022’s The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent or, to some extent, 2023’s Dream Scenario, is not necessarily Nic Cage the actor, but Nic Cage the meme.

At one point, when the surfer is on the near edge of losing his mind, the locals and members of the larger Luna Bay community literally point and laugh at him, inviting the audience to join in. The surfer isn’t a character, or even a man; he is a vehicle for Nicolas Cage to be reduced to desperate pantomime. That’s the film’s main gimmick. The other is that, over the course of four nights, the surfer never leaves the beach parking lot, though for the majority of that time he has, at his disposal, a perfectly functioning Lexus with a full tank of gas and working air conditioning.

The Surfer’s best insight is that localism, whatever it might mean to any particular surfer or community, can be a tool with which to wield power. The beach is public—that’s the first argument the surfer tries on the locals—but by relying on the unwritten rules of the sport, the Bay Boys can demarcate their region and govern it, however psychotically. Their members are already powerful in modern society’s most legible ways: they are white, rich, and conventionally attractive. They are the kind of guys so used to getting what they want that they feel entitled to the ocean. To dig into that psyche and expose the connections between a retrograde vision of masculinity and a sense of entitlement to land, to the water, and to nature, would be a fresh way to present the issue of localism, even more by rooting the story in a country with a fraught history of colonization.

But by locking Cage in the parking lot, The Surfer extricates localism from identification with the landscape. Besides establishing, in a cartoonish way, that we’re in Australia (a humongous country), the specifics of Luna Bay are never explored. It could be a beach anywhere. It exists in a vacuum divorced from the context that would clarify why the Bay Boys are so determined to guard it; or, for that matter, why the surfer longs to return. It’s not entirely hard to understand, for example, why a Hawaiian local might take issue with my dad or any foreigner whose surfing trip is inextricable from a long history of colonization and exploitation. In Catherine Hardwick’s 2005 film Lords of Dogtown, the boys who guard the abandoned, rotting Pacific Park Pier in Venice Beach are so destitute that control over the break is the only sliver of power, however illusory, that they have.

I know: it’s not that deep! It’s supposed to be a farce! That much is clear; the film is obviously more committed to punishing Nicolas Cage for the viewer’s pleasure than to engaging meaningfully with any of the interesting ideas at which it gestures. In title if not in theme, The Surfer seems to be distantly referencing Frank and Eleanor Perry’s 1968 adaptation of John Cheever’s story The Swimmer, a sincere movie if there ever was one. The protagonist of that movie, Ned Merrill, is humiliated because the life he had, which he failed to nurture, is lost to him, and everyone knows. The surfer is humiliated because, lacking other options, he considers biting into a dead rat. The water fountain from which he hopes to get water is soiled with dog shit. He cries wah wah wah. In the thick of being gaslighted by the locals, he reminds himself: “I have a car. I have a job. I have a name. I have a son.” It’s all the film can do to convince us that here we have a character, but we never even learn his name.

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CCU IN OMAHA: Chants Sweep Auburn Super Regional, Book Return Trip To MCWS

Story Links AUBURN, Ala. — Coastal Carolina University Baseball is headed to the Men’s College World Series for the second time after sweeping the Auburn Super Regional with a 4-1 victory over the fourth-seeded Tigers on Saturday inside Plainsman Park. The No. 13 Chanticleers […]

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35 minutes ago

June 8, 2025

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AUBURN, Ala. — Coastal Carolina University Baseball is headed to the Men’s College World Series for the second time after sweeping the Auburn Super Regional with a 4-1 victory over the fourth-seeded Tigers on Saturday inside Plainsman Park.

The No. 13 Chanticleers (53-11) won their 23rd-straight game and swept a ninth-consecutive weekend series.

Tied 1-1 in the seventh, Sebastian Alexander sparked a rally with a leadoff double. Walker Mitchell delivered the go-ahead RBI single to left, and two more runs came across on a fielding error and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.

Mitchell added insurance in the eighth with another RBI single, finishing 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Alexander doubled twice and scored twice as part of a three-hit day.

Jacob Morrison was strong in his start, scattering six hits and one run while striking out six over six innings. Hayden Johnson closed the door with three scoreless frames, striking out five to earn the win in relief and improve to 5-0.

Auburn (41-20) managed eight hits but left 11 runners on base. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second on a two-out RBI single from Chase Fralick but were blanked the rest of the way.

Coastal Carolina will make its second-ever College World Series appearance next week in Omaha.

Notebook
Chants Headed Back to Omaha: Coastal Carolina advances to the College World Series for the second time in program history and first since capturing the national title in 2016. The Chanticleers are riding a 23-game winning streak, the nation’s longest active streak.

Mitchell Delivers in the Clutch: Walker Mitchell provided the go-ahead RBI in the seventh and an insurance RBI in the eighth, finishing 3-for-5. He has recorded multiple hits in five of the last six games.

Alexander Sets the Table: Sebastian Alexander went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk and two runs scored. He now has 12 doubles this season and has hit safely in 14 of his last 15 contests.

Morrison and Johnson Shine on the Mound: Starter Jacob Morrison allowed just one run over six innings in a no-decision, while Hayden Johnson tossed three shutout frames to earn the win. Johnson improved to 5-0 on the season with a 3.03 ERA across 32.2 innings.

Bodine Nears Defensive Milestone: Catcher Caden Bodine threw out two runners in Friday’s win and added another strong defensive effort behind the plate Saturday. With 45 career runners caught stealing, he is one shy of tying the program record of 46.

Up Next: Coastal Carolina will await its opening-round matchup in Omaha. The College World Series begins Friday, June 13, at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.

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Sports

Ryder Dodd Wins 2025 Cutino Award

Published

42 minutes ago

June 8, 2025

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UCLA freshman Ryder Dodd has been awarded the 2025 Peter J. Cutino Award, recognizing him as one of the top players in NCAA water polo. Dodd is the first Bruin to win this honor since 2021 and the fifth overall in UCLA men’s water polo history. His outstanding performance included scoring twice in the NCAA Championship game, helping the Bruins secure their 13th national title. Additionally, Dodd set a league record with 102 goals during the season, further solidifying his impactful debut. He also earned multiple accolades, including ACWPC National Player of the Year and MPSF Player and Newcomer of the Year.

By the Numbers

Dodd scored a league-record 102 goals and 134 points in the season.
He scored in all 28 games of his rookie season, with multiple goals in all but one game.

State of Play

Dodd’s achievement contributes to UCLA’s legacy in water polo, marking the first time they’ve had a Cutino Award winner since 2021.
His 102 goals not only broke MPSF records but also set a UCLA freshman record, indicating his exceptional talent.

What’s Next

As with past winners, Dodd is poised to continue making significant contributions to NCAA water polo. His early success may lead to further accolades and possibly a professional career, depending on future performance.

Bottom Line

Dodd’s recognition as the Cutino Award winner exemplifies his outstanding talent and contributions to UCLA’s storied water polo program, signaling a bright future ahead for the athlete and the team.

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BISD volleyball, softball camps scheduled for this month

In addition to the upcoming basketball camps, Breckenridge High School will host a couple of volleyball camps and a softball camp later this month. Lady Bucks volleyball skills camp A Lady Bucks volleyball skills camp for incoming sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, June 16 and 17. The camp will be […]

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52 minutes ago

June 8, 2025

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In addition to the upcoming basketball camps, Breckenridge High School will host a couple of volleyball camps and a softball camp later this month.

Lady Bucks volleyball skills camp

A Lady Bucks volleyball skills camp for incoming sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, June 16 and 17. The camp will be conducted by former Lady Buckaroo Jessi Warren, who recently graduated from Clarendon College, where she was a member of the women’s volleyball team. According to Warren’s Facebook page, she has committed to continuing her academic and athletic career at McMurry University in Abilene.

Warren has been playing volleyball since she was in the fourth grade. She was on the BHS volleyball team for three years and played club volleyball from the eighth grade through her junior year of high school. She has received multiple awards in high school and college.

The camp will be held in the BISD Athletic Center-Auxiliary Gym from 9 a.m. to noon and from 2 to 5 p.m. with a lunch break from noon to 2 p.m. The cost will be $80 per student. To register, call Warren at 254-477-3540.

Volleyball Little Lady Bucks Camp

Younger athletes can learn new volleyball skills and have some fun at the Volleyball Little Lady Bucks Camp, scheduled for June 23-24.

The Little Lady Bucks Camp will be for incoming first- through fifth-graders. It will be held in the BISD Athletic Center’s Auxiliary Gym from 1 to 3 p.m. each day. It will cost $40 per camper. To register, contact BHS Volleyball Coach Latisha Clark at 254-734-6407 or latisha.bartley@breckenridgeisd.org

BHS Softball Joni Jackson Hitting and Skills Camp

For those interested in softball, the BHS Softball Joni Jackson Hitting and Skills Camp will be held Monday through Thursday, June 23-26, at the Lady Bucks softball field. Jackson and BHS Head Softball Coach Jocelyn Gonzales will lead the camp for kindergarten through eighth graders.

The first two days, June 23-24, will be for kindergarteners through fourth-graders, and the last two days, June 25-26, will be for fifth- through eighth-graders. The camp will be held from 8 a.m. to noon each day.

The cost of the softball camp will be $55 per camper. Click here to register.

Sky High Volleyball Camp

Next month, a Sky High Volleyball Camp will be offered in Breckenridge. The camp will be presented by the volleyball coaches with Sky High Volleyball LLC, a competitive youth sports organization in Stephenville.

The camp will be held in the BISD Athletic Center from 1 to 4 p.m. July 28-30. The cost will be $75 per student (make checks payable to Sky High Volleyball).

For more information, call BHS Volleyball Coach Latisha Clark 254-734-6407.

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Sports

Records broken at the 2025 State Track & Field Championships

(WFRV) – Day two at the track and field state championships featured a bevy of local athletes taking home additional hardware. Ashwaubenon’s Thea Kral defended her shot put title, making it five total state championships for the Wisconsin commit. Kimberly’s Hunter Sprangers won the title in discus, claiming the discus-shot put double over the last […]

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2 hours ago

June 8, 2025

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(WFRV) – Day two at the track and field state championships featured a bevy of local athletes taking home additional hardware.

Ashwaubenon’s Thea Kral defended her shot put title, making it five total state championships for the Wisconsin commit. Kimberly’s Hunter Sprangers won the title in discus, claiming the discus-shot put double over the last two days.

Neenah sophomore Celia Gentile also won her second gold of the weekend (long jump, triple jump), while Notre Dame’s James Flanigan dominated the entirety of division two in both the shot put and discus.

Once again, De Pere’s Grady Lenn stole the show. He set a new state record in the 3200-meter just a day removed from doing so in the 1600-meter.

The De Pere boys (D1), Notre Dame Academy boys (D2), and Freedom girls (D2) all won team state titles.

Check out the highlights from La Crosse in the video above.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 – Green Bay, Appleton.

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Pipeline’s Gaudencia highlights beach volleyball team for continentals

By Benjamin Otieno Published on: June 08, 2025 01:15 (EAT) The national beach volleyball team was officially named on Saturday following the conclusion of the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) Women’s League final and the individual awards ceremony. The team selection marks the beginning of preparations for the upcoming Continental Beach Volleyball Championship, scheduled to take […]

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2 hours ago

June 8, 2025

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