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Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Adolescence fans must watch 'stunning' thriller inspired by toxic masculinity
Nicolas Cage's latest movie, The Surfer, may be a far cry from the hit Netflix drama Adolescence, but the two projects have more in common than you might think Netflix's popular series Adolescence has been a hot topic since its premiere in March this year. The show features Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller, a father whose life falls apart when his 13-year-old son Jamie (portrayed by Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a female classmate. The four-part drama received acclaim for its unflinching exploration of tough issues such as the harmful impact of social media and the increasing incidents of violent misogyny among teenage boys. For those viewers who were deeply moved by Adolescence and are interested in further exploring how toxic masculinity can manifest in older men, they should check out the latest thriller starring Nicolas Cage, The Surfer. While at first glance this surreal journey into desperation featuring Cage's unnamed protagonist returning to his Australian hometown and clashing with locals seems like a very different project, it delves into the same themes as the Netflix hit by examining male tribalism, reports the Express. Cage's character, who aims to repurchase his childhood home and surf the beach with his son (played by Finn Little), immediately finds himself at odds with a group of cult-like surfers led by the charismatic Scally (Julian McMahon), who presents himself as a sort of male wellness guru. In an interview with Express Online, director Lorcan Finnegan shared the origins of his film's distinctive villain, drawing influence from the likes of outspoken 'manosphere' figure Andrew Tate, who is mentioned in Adolescence. "He's an amalgamation of a lot of people like that," Finnegan remarked. "Probably not as bad as Andrew Tate. "He's got a bit of Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson. There's another guy called Tim Morrison, who's a little bit more on the shaman side. "There are a lot of these people who are self-help gurus that work in the corporate world and they bring people in on these retreats where they teach them how to get in touch with their inner-selves and masculinity. "And then they go back to their jobs and fire 300 people, or something. So there's this contrast between this spiritualism and corporate-capitalist mindset." While The Surfer doesn't focus heavily on violence against women, it delves into the toxic dynamics among men who sideline those they categorise as 'outsiders'. Cage's role sees him fall prey to this spiteful behaviour as the male group's bullying begins to erode his very sense of self. "[Scally] was slightly based on those people, but Julian also made the character his own," continued Finnegan. "He had ideas about his haircut and ways of speaking to these guys and having this kind of call and response. "So, he plays the character very well where it's slightly less black and white than a kind of Andrew Tate, who's obviously a misogynist. Whereas Julian played him as someone... you might think he is trying to help Nic. "From his point of view he was, from his character's point of view he was trying to help him understand his ideology, even though it was quite dark. He's more ambiguous as to whether he's a good guy or a bad guy." The film is currently exclusive to cinemas, so seize the chance to watch this captivating companion piece to what's been Netflix's roaring success of 2025. The Surfer is in cinemas now. Adolescence is available to stream on Netflix.
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Nicolas Cage's 'meme-worthy' moment in new movie was inspired by classic film
Nicolas Cage stars in Lorcan Finnegan's new thriller The Surfer, which sees the Hollywood icon spiral into madness In his latest outing, The Surfer, directed by Lorcan Finnegan, Nicolas Cage revisits the offbeat, manic energy he's renowned for, plunging into a sun-drenched abyss of insanity. Cage plays a nameless surfer who travels back to his hometown in Australia with the intention of repurchasing his childhood residence. However, his plans are foiled when he and his son (played by Finn Little) are met with aggression by a clique of hostile locals at the beach, spearheaded by the captivating yet confrontational Scally (Julian McMahon). This unwarranted hostility relentlessly chips away at Cage's character's sanity. As the surfer's mental state continues to deteriorate, his desperation reaches new depths when he resorts to scavenging for food and entertains the notion of feasting on the dead body of a rat he had encountered before. Director Lorcan Finnegan shared an insider's perspective with Express Online, recalling the details of the scene: "We had two rats, one that had a mechanical part to bite him and another one that was soft for whacking against the card", reports the Express. "So he threw that away and he's supposed to find it the next day and think about taking a bit out of it. He picked it up and that's as far as it was in the script." Cage's penchant for injecting a bit of the unconventional into his characters ensures that each portrayal is nothing less than fascinating. Movie buffs and Cage aficionados, prepare for a scene set to join the ranks of the iconic 'Not the bees!' moment from The Wicker Man. In this moment, the surfer pockets a rat, turning it into an impromptu tool against Pitbull (Alexander Bertrand), one of Scally's henchmen. Director Finnegan revealed: "But then Nic put it in his pocket and he wasn't really sure why yet, but he was kind of formulating an idea. "The art department wanted the rat back, they were like, 'We need to keep that, we only have one', and he's like, 'No, no, I need to keep it in my pocket'." As it turns out, the wacky fight sequence was a brainchild of Cage himself, taking inspiration from a film icon in a classic flick from the '50s. Finnegan continued, explaining Cage's inspiration: "Then, I think it was the next day, he was telling me he had this idea that's related to Sabrina, the Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart movie. "There's a scene where Humphrey Bogart takes an olive out the jar and puts it into another guy's mouth and says 'Eat it!' "He'd rewatched that film just before coming to Australia and thought it was just hilarious, so he had this weird connection and wanted to take the rat and shove it into Pitbull's mouth during the fight and say 'Eat it!' So that was another bit of Cage magic. "I think there are little lines he'll give the film if he loves the process of it because he feels like it needs a little bit of something." Film enthusiasts can celebrate as Sabrina is now available for streaming on both NOW and Paramount+, offering an opportunity to delve into the roots of Nicolas Cage's most recent bout of inspired madness.
Daily Record
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Yellowstone's child star is almost unrecognisable in new thriller alongside A-lister
Finn Little, who played Carter in the hit Western drama, has taken on a new role in the thriller The Surfer Yellowstone enthusiasts are encouraged to dive into a new thriller featuring one of the series' most prominent emerging talents. Finn Little, 18, has made a name for himself playing the young ranch hand Carter in the acclaimed Western series, alongside stars like Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, and Kevin Costner. Having appeared in 24 episodes to date, Carter is seen honing his skills under the tutelage of Reilly's formidable Beth Dutton and her spouse Rip Wheeler (played by Hauser), while also picking up some crucial life lessons. Now stepping into his late teens, Little has matured significantly for his latest cinematic venture in The Surfer, sharing the screen with none other than Nicolas Cage. Not only does he appear more grown-up compared to his earlier Yellowstone days, but Little also surprises by using his authentic Brisbane accent in this Australian-based movie, which might take some fans by surprise, reports the Mirror US. In the suspenseful flick directed by Lorcan Finnegan, Little takes on the role of 'The Kid', a character who is the son of Cage's unnamed protagonist and finds himself menaced by a gang of local surfers. Despite the daunting task of acting alongside the esteemed Nic Cage, it turns out Little was somewhat oblivious to Cage's celebrity status. "He was gloriously not aware of Nic Cage being a big actor," revealed Finnegan in an interview with Express Online. "We had a casting director from Australia, Jane Norris, and she suggested him. All the cast are Australian, apart from Nic. We had a lot of actors to get for the film, locally, and she was great at putting people forward. "Finn auditioned, he did a self-tape and then we did a Zoom. "It's tricky because when you're trying to find someone who could possibly look like Nic's son, as well, and be Australian, we were still toying with the idea of whether he would have an Australian accent or an American accent. "We decided to keep his Australian accent, but he does a good American accent, obviously." Director Finnegan shared an anecdote about Little's nonchalant reaction to working with Cage. "I remember, he arrived in Australia quite early, before Nic got there," he said. During a walk to a beach location, Finnegan gauged Little's thoughts on acting alongside Cage. "We were walking along, down to the beach to show him the location. I asked him how he felt about making a movie with Nic Cage and he was like, 'Yeah... yeah, I've heard of him. Yeah, pretty cool'. Just not fazed." While Little's future projects post-Yellowstone remain unconfirmed, there's buzz that he might reprise his role in the franchise's upcoming spin-off featuring Beth and Rip.
Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Yellowstone's Finn Little is almost unrecognisable in new thriller
Finn Little, who played Carter in the hit Western drama, has a lead role in the new thriller The Surfer alongside Nicolas Cage Yellowstone enthusiasts, take note! There's a fresh thriller on the big screen featuring one of the series' most talked-about stars. The young and talented Finn Little, 18, has made waves as the plucky ranch hand Carter in the hit Western series, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, and Kevin Costner. With 24 episodes under his belt, Carter has been picking up the ropes from Reilly's formidable Beth Dutton and her other half Rip Wheeler (played by Hauser), while also learning some crucial life lessons along the way. Now stepping into his late teens, Little has matured for his new gig in The Surfer, sharing the screen with none other than Nicolas Cage, reports the Mirror US. Fans might do a double-take seeing how much Little has grown since his Yellowstone beginnings, and they'll get to hear his true Brisbane twang in this Aussie-based flick – a stark contrast to his American persona on the ranch. In this edge-of-your-seat film by Lorcan Finnegan, Little takes on the role of 'The Kid', son to Cage's protagonist, who finds himself at odds with a menacing gang of surfers. Despite the daunting task of acting alongside the esteemed star, it turns out Little wasn't fully clued in on Cage's A-list status. "He was gloriously not aware of Nic Cage being a big actor," revealed Finnegan in a chat with Express Online. "We had a casting director from Australia, Jane Norris, and she suggested him. All the cast are Australian, apart from Nic. We had a lot of actors to get for the film, locally, and she was great at putting people forward. "Finn auditioned, he did a self-tape and then we did a Zoom. "It's tricky because when you're trying to find someone who could possibly look like Nic's son, as well, and be Australian, we were still toying with the idea of whether he would have an Australian accent or an American accent. "We decided to keep his Australian accent, but he does a good American accent, obviously." Director Finnegan shared how Little seemed unbothered about joining forces with Cage, a huge name in the industry. Recalling their initial chat on Little's forthcoming scenes with Cage, he found the young actor's attitude laid-back. "I remember, he arrived in Australia quite early, before Nic got there," he said. "We were walking along, down to the beach to show him the location. I asked him how he felt about making a movie with Nic Cage and he was like, 'Yeah... yeah, I've heard of him. Yeah, pretty cool'. Just not fazed." Away from his work on Yellowstone, Little doesn't have any confirmed projects for now, albeit rumours abound that he might reappear in the wildly successful Western series due to Beth and Rip leading a new spin-off. The Surfer is in cinemas now. Yellowstone is available to stream on Paramount+.
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Nicolas Cage sang iconic hip-hop in new thriller's 'insane' deleted scene
Director Lorcan Finnegan's The Surfer, starring Nicolas Cage at his crazy best, is now in cinemas Nicolas Cage delivered a show-stopping improvised singing performance in his latest head-spinning thriller, which has just hit the big screens. The intense drama, The Surfer, directed by Lorcan Finnegan, premieres today (Friday, 9th May) and features Cage as an unnamed protagonist who heads back to his Australian roots to reclaim his childhood abode. In the movie, Cage's character and his son (portrayed by Finn Little) face off against a hostile local crew, headed by Scally (Julian McMahon), who block their access to the surf. Forced to bide his time in his car while waiting for news from his estate agent, Cage's surfer spirals into turmoil as Scally and his gang mercilessly harass him. During a pivotal moment of crisis for the surfer, Cage's talent for ad-libbing came to the fore, reports the Express. In an interview with Express Online, director Finnegan shared: "In the script process he just had tweaks to his dialogue, how he'd like to say certain things or reverse information around or delete bits. So that was all fine. "Once we got shooting, in terms of improvisation... he's very prepared. "Once we got on set, Nic never needed his script ever. He knew all his dialogue. Which allowed room for trying different things." Cage, renowned for his unwavering commitment to his craft, has enjoyed a renaissance with a string of similarly intense and creative thrillers. Over the past decade, he has consistently pushed his limits in films such as Mandy, Color Out of Space, Pig, and Longlegs. However, The Surfer propels the star into uncharted territory of chaos with Finnegan's Franz Kafka-inspired portrayal of a descent into savagery and toxic masculinity fuelled by substances and relentless sunshine. The director continued: "There's a scene where he's walking around the car park with no shoes on, blood on his foot and totally dehydrated and delirious. "I think in the script it said he's asking people, 'Have you seen my broker?' and mumbling incoherently and that was it. "Once we were shooting it we shot on an 8mm lens, it was very wide, you could see everything. All the crew and everything had to hide inside the cars in the car park." Recalling Cage's spontaneous creativity, Finnegan added: "And he just went off on one! Talking about wanting to make his wife dinner on the balcony and cook her clams with pasta. "And that went on for longer than what's in the movie. He started singing Jump Around by House of Pain and started jumping around with the three young kids. "That didn't make the cut, but it was great. It will be on the Blu-Ray bonus stuff." Regrettably, film enthusiasts won't get to witness Cage's rendition of the classic '90s track, but they can look forward to numerous other mind-bending moments in this one-of-a-kind thriller.
