It's a long time before Nicolas Cage actually gets up on a surfboard "The Surfer." But this psychological thriller from director Lorcan Finnegan throws all kinds of waves at the enigmatic performer, which he rides in terrifically Cage-ian fashion.

Cage plays the Surfer — no other name needed — who takes his son (Finn Little) to the Australian beach were he grew up to catch a few tubes. The Surfer (don't worry, Cage is not trying out an Aussie accent) is quickly accosted by a group of locals who not so politely inform him, "don't live hee, don't surf hee." The group is led by Julian McMahon, who plays the creepily charismatic Scally.

The interaction sends the Surfer spiraling. He goes back to the parking lot to regroup but he slowly unravels, his life folding in on itself.

He's a well-off guy who has just put in a $1.6 million bid on a beachside home, but there's another offer on the house and in short order he needs to raise some additional cash. That crisis gets pushed to the back burner as he's bullied by the local surf gang, who steal his surfboard from atop his car, and when he tries to get it back he gets into a scuffle with Scally. The local police won't help, they're in with the gang.