Best movies like The Surfer

A unique, carefully handpicked, selection of the best movies like The Surfer Starring Nicolas Cage, Julian McMahon, Justin Rosniak, Alexander Bertrand, and more. If you liked The Surfer then you may also like: The Visitor, Wish You Were Here, Australian Rules, Backtrack, BMX Bandits and many more popular movies featured on this list. You can further filter the list even more or get a random selection from the list of similar movies, to make your selection even easier.

movie

When a man returns to his beachside hometown in Australia, many years since building a life for himself in the U.S., he is humiliated in front of his teenage son by a local gang of surfers who claim strict ownership over the secluded beach of his childhood. Wounded, he decides to remain at the beach, declaring war against those in control of the bay. But as the conflict escalates, the stakes spin wildly out of control, taking him to the edge of his sanity.

selected filters: Sort: Default

You may filter the list of movies on this page for a more refined, personalized selection of movies.

Still not sure what to watch click the recommend buttun below to get a movie recommendation selected from all the movies on this list

Know any good movies to watch like The Surfer 2024. With a similar plot or stoyline. Suggest it.

The Visitor

Michael, at his beach-home in Australia, is avoiding phone calls regarding his dear lifelong friend and former lover of two-years Chris who is dying back in Boston, America. While trying to write, he is disturbed by the noisy surfers next door as they get ready for a weekend away of surf. C.K., one of the surfers, remains behind to surf the local beach....

Wish You Were Here

Four friends lose themselves in a carefree South-East Asian holiday. Only three come back. Dave and Alice return home to their young family desperate for answers about Jeremy's mysterious disappearance. When Alice's sister Steph returns not long after, a nasty secret is revealed about the night her boyfriend went missing. But it is only the first of many. Who amongst them knows what happened on that fateful night when they were dancing under a full moon in Cambodia?

Australian Rules

Friends Gary Black (Nathan Phillips) and Dumby Red (Luke Carroll) are on the same football team in their coastal Australian town. But to local racists, they're a world apart: Gary is white and Dumby is an Aborigine. This becomes an issue when one of the team's Aboriginal players becomes involved in a crime. In response, Dumby is demoted even though he's the star player, and Gary is given his place. Will Gary have the courage to speak out before tragedy results?

Backtrack

Troubled psychotherapist Peter Bowers is suffering from nightmares and eerie visions. When he uncovers a horrifying secret that all of his patients share, he is put on a course that takes him back to the small hometown he fled years ago. There he confronts his demons and unravels a mystery 20 years in the making.

BMX Bandits

Teens P.J. and Goose get their thrills on BMX bikes, performing hair-raising tricks all across Sydney, Australia. Along with their new friend Judy, they discover a box of walkie-talkies -- and find out that a gang of criminals intends to use them to monitor police signals during a bank robbery. When the young trio snatches the devices, it propels them on a hair-raising adventure in which their pedaling skills might just save their necks.

Teen Beach Movie

Life's a beach for surfers Brady and McKenzie – until a rogue wave magically transports them inside the classic '60s beach party flick, "Wet Side Story," where a full-blown rivalry between bikers and surfers threatens to erupt. There, amidst a sea of surfing, singing and dancing, Brady and Mack accidentally change the storyline, and the film’s dreamy hero and heroine fall for them instead of for each other!

The Son

A successful lawyer, with a new wife and infant, agrees to care for his teenage son from a previous marriage after his ex-wife becomes concerned about the boy's wayward behavior.

The Dry

Aaron Falk returns to his drought-stricken hometown to attend a tragic funeral. But his return opens a decades-old wound - the unsolved death of a teenage girl.

Don't Make Waves

New Yorker Carlo Cofield goes on a vacation to Southern California, where he quickly becomes immersed in the easy-going local culture while getting entangled in two beachside romances.

The Endless Summer

Bruce Brown's The Endless Summer is one of the first and most influential surf movies of all time. The film documents American surfers Mike Hynson and Robert August as they travel the world during California’s winter (which, back in 1965 was off-season for surfing) in search of the perfect wave and ultimately, an endless summer.

The Fighting Temptations

Darrin Hill, a slick-talking but down-on- his-luck NYC advertising exec, returns to his hometown in Georgia to claim the inheritance his aunt left him. But before Darrin can collect the money, he must fulfill his aunt's final wish -- to create a local choir.

The Lost Boys

A mother and her two teenage sons move to a seemingly nice and quiet small coastal California town yet soon find out that it's overrun by bike gangs and vampires. A couple of teenage friends take it upon themselves to hunt down the vampires that they suspect of a few mysterious murders and restore peace and calm to their town.

The Windsplitter

Bobby Joe Smith returns to his home in a small town, having changed his name, his outlook on life, and gained a career as a Hollywood star. Bobby Joe finds a renewed love in Jenny Jenkins, his childhood sweetheart, whose father is the town reverend and who believes that Bobby Joe has returned as a corrupt and demoralized person. Jenny's father jealously wants no connections between Bobby and Jenny, and takes measures to keep Bobby Joe from attending any of the Homecoming activities by persuading some local boys to beat him up. This builds to a crashing climax which is utterly shocking and unexpected.

December Boys

For many years, four teenage orphans at an Australian outback convent have watched their younger comrades find new parents, and realize that they may never be adopted. The Reverend Mother sends the four boys away on a seaside vacation, where they meet Teresa and Fearless, a couple who would make perfect parents. The youths compete with one another to be the one Teresa and Fearless decide to adopt.

Puberty Blues

Two teenage surf chicks from the southern suburbs of Sydney ingratiate themselves with a new group of boys.

Tan Lines

Cute teen Midget Hollow wanders through life riding big waves and partying with surfer boys. When Midget's best friend's gay brother Cass arrives on the scene, the two quickly dive head first into a clandestine sea of sexual awakening.

Iona

Iona returns to the island where she was born with her teenage son to seek refuge from a violent crime in Glasgow. Iona's return exposes her tormented son, Bull, to a way of life she rejected when she left the island and sends a shockwave through the family she left behind.

The Shallows

When Nancy is surfing on a secluded beach, she finds herself on the feeding ground of a great white shark. Though she is stranded only 200 yards from shore, survival proves to be the ultimate test of wills, requiring all of Nancy's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and fortitude.

To Make a Killing

Damon Kennedy (Tamblyn Lord, The River Kings) is an impressionable young man ready to begin university life. On the other side of the tracks live Terry (Craig Pearce, co-author of Strictly Ballroom), Felix (John Godden) and Benny (Kelly Dingwall) — who get their kicks out of robbing houses and chasing girls. But they're broke and all out of cash. During a routine burglary the gang discover an innocent Damon. Brushing off the intrusion and pretending they are looking for some mates, the gang flee the scene but bored Damon follows them and joins their group for the day, hoping to find some fun.When the gang picks up two girls, things become unhinged as a drunk Damon brags about some of his family's many affluent friends. Forced to take them to one of his cash-rich contacts, Damon's nightmare has only just begun. As Terry discovers that the wealthy don't always carry cash, what starts as a burglary soon turns into a killing spree.

One Summer

Jack takes his son and daughter to his late wife's beachside hometown hoping to heal and become closer. The summer brings visions of the past that could forge a new path forward.

Forsaken

John Henry returns to his hometown in hopes of repairing his relationship with his estranged father, but a local gang is terrorizing the town. John Henry is the only one who can stop them, however he has abandoned both his gun and reputation as a fearless quick-draw killer.

Brothers by Blood

Peter and Michael, raised on the streets of Philadelphia, are the children of Irish mob members, forever linked by the crimes of their fathers. 30 years later, Michael now runs the criminal organization and lusts for more power, his dangerous antics frequently held in check by his cautious cousin Peter. Haunted by the death of his sister, whose passing destroyed both his parents, Peter is caught between the dreams of childhood and the realities of his life as an enforcer. His only reprieve is a local boxing gym, a sanctuary that is quickly threatened as Michael’s desire for control escalates.

Last Night in Rozzie

When a New York lawyer returns to his Boston hometown to reunite his dying friend with his young son, he is forced to finally confront a childhood trauma.

The Coolangatta Gold

Steve Lucas is a nineteen year old who is filled with the burning resentment of being forced to live in his brother's shadow. His brother Adam, is burdened by his father's desire for glory, and must win The Coolangatta Gold Tri-Aquathon, It is the greatest endurance test of them all: a marathon involving a 20 kilometer beach run, 6 kilometer swim and a 17 kilometer surf ski from Surfers Paradise along the golden arc of beach to Coolangatta and back to the start. The Coolangatta Gold is a story of human endeavor and endurance against overwhelming odds.

The Movie Hero

A man believes his life is a movie watched by an audience only he can see.

Water's Edge

Robert wanted an escape from the big city. He thought a small town by the water's edge would give him a new start. He couldn't have been more wrong. This little town has dirty secrets, and Robert just found the worst of them...

Candles on Bay Street

DeeDee returns to her hometown with her 11 year old son, Trooper, 13 years after she ran off with her boyfriend. Her childhood best friend, Sam, is now married and he and his wife, Lydia, are the town's veterinarians. Lydia is a little wary about DeeDee after Sam tells her that they were best friends growing up and DeeDee was his first crush. But DeeDee and Trooper find their way into many hearts of the townspeople with their sweet helpfulness and friendships. DeeDee sets up a candle making business in town square and invites many of the ladies of the town to weekly candle making parties, and through these parties she and Lydia become good friends. One evening after dinner with Lydia and Sam, DeeDee tells Sam she's very sick and she doesn't have much longer to live and she needs his help to find a good family in town to adopt Trooper. Sam later tells Lydia everything and they decide to adopt Trooper themselves if/when something happens to DeeDee.

Heart Full of Rain

A young man returns to the family farm after being gone for six years. But it is not until he fights shoulder to shoulder with his father to save the farm from a flood that his father finally forgives him for leaving.

Centrespread

In a world at the brink of the 21st century, where strict social stratification is rigidly enforced, and the only manifestation of violence is in magazine pages, a photographer whose special talent is mixing violence and sex, is told to find a new girl whose freshness will rejuvenate the pages of the magazine.

The Endless Summer 2

Bruce Brown, king of surfing documentaries, returns after nearly thirty years to trace the steps of two young surfers to top surfing spots around the world. Along the way we see many of the people and locales Bruce visited during the filming of Endless Summer (1966).

Monster Beach

An ordinary summer holiday gets complicated when two kids - Jan and her brother Dean - are packed off to stay with their drop-out uncle, Woody. It should be complete paradise: a secluded island, great waves and a relaxed adult in charge. What could be better? But why is this place so deserted? Why has the town been overrun by jungle and what are those strange noises coming from the beach? The terrible truth is revealed when it turns out the locals are in fact surf-crazed monsters - and they don't take kindly to tourists. Well not at first anyway. The arrival of a rampaging property developer changes everything. Sibling rivalry and genetic differences are suddenly swept aside, as everyone bands together to save the strange little place they've all come to call home.

Local Boys

On Skeet’s twelfth birthday his older brother Randy buys him his first surfboard. Suddenly his summer turns to the endless search for the perfect wave, wild times and beach parties and eventually, finding his own daring adventures when Randy’s attention turns to a girl. Beyond his wildest dreams, Skeet is taken under the wings of surfing legend Jim Wesley who gives Skeet first-hand lessons in hot-dogging. Meanwhile, Randy, still dealing with the loss of his father and trying to fill his shoes, is jealous of Jim’s influence on Skeet and isn’t thrilled when Jim begins a relationship with their single mom. Tangled by the conflict between his brother and his newfound father figure, Skeet retreats to his room while longing to surf.

Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday

Jennifer and Meg Swift are two sisters who are very close despite living far apart. Jennifer is in Salt Lake City, running a successful restaurant she started with her late husband and raising her teenaged son Simon, Meg stayed in their hometown of Hazelwood, helping their parents run the local bakery.

Surrender in Paradise

Around 1900, bushranger Rusty Swan receives a message that his mother is dying. He sets off with his partner Cecil and girlfriend Valda to see her, chased by a posse led by Sergeant Rutter. They travel through time and wind up in modern-day Surfers Paradise.

Lost Things

Four teenagers; Gary (Leon Ford), Brad (Chalie Garber), Emily (Lenka Kripac) and Tracey (Alex Vaughan) travel to a desert paradisiacal beach and spend the weekend together. When they arrive, they meet the older Zippo (Steve Le Marquand), and experience a sense of Déjà vu with weird events, feeling that they had previously been in that place. That Saturday, they start to realize that they are actually trapped in a nightmare.

When Good Ghouls Go Bad

In October of 1981, Curtis Danko, the creepy kid from the small town of Walker Falls, was killed in a mysterious accident. He left behind a warning to the town: "If you ever have another Halloween again, I will return and destroy you all!" Curtis was buried in a locked crypt, along with a sculpture so evil, that unearthly fates were said to await anyone who looked at it. Now, 20 years later, the Walker men have returned to Walker Falls. They start a chain of events that unleashes an army of zombies on the town. Has Curtis Danko risen from the grave to exact his revenge? And will the people of Walker Falls make it through the night?

Blue Story

Blue Story is a tragic tale of a friendship between Timmy and Marco, two young boys from opposing postcodes. Timmy, a shy, smart, naive and timid young boy from Deptford, goes to school in Peckham where he strikes up a friendship with Marco, a charismatic, streetwise kid from the local area. Although from warring postcodes, the two quickly form a firm friendship until it is tested and they wind up on rival sides of a street war. Blue Story depicts elements of Rapman's own personal experiences and aspects of his childhood.

Locusts

Two estranged brothers who are reluctantly reunited in their remote hometown at their father's funeral, become the target of an extortion scam at the hands of a gang of violent local thugs.

Bosch & Rockit

As Rockit grapples to understand why his Mum’s not coming home, he embarks on a magical holiday with his father, Bosch, only to discover they’re actually running from the law. Rockit finds a soulmate and then teenage love with Ash Ash, but it’s the ocean that gives him the security and calm he yearns from his parents. Ultimately Rockit is a boy nurtured and held by nature.

Favorite Son

A story of family, of dreams deferred, and of a final chance at redemption. Frustrated with his waning baseball career, David returns to his hometown and becomes obsessed with a local lovely, reaching out to her troubled son. When David is rejected, the townsfolk gossip about his relationship with the boy.

Measure for Measure

An improbable love affair flares up between Karima, a modern Muslim girl, and Claudio, a local musician, in Melbourne's most notorious housing estate, where ruthless gangs rule, drug abuse spreads and racial tension grows.

Haunted Gold

John Mason returns to the Sally Ann mine to claim his half share. Janet Cater also returns although her father lost his half share to Joe Ryan. Ryan and his gang are also there to get the gold. A mysterious Phantom is also present. Mason's plan to expose Ryan as an outlaw and to force him to turn his share to Janet works. But when distracted by the Phantom, John is made a prisoner by the gang.

Lucky Country

1902....the Australian Federation is a year old. Twelve year-old Tom's father, Nat, has dragged him and his sister, Sarah, to an isolated farm at the edge of the woods. But Nat's dream of living off the land has died and he is losing his grip on sanity. When three ex-soldiers arrive at their cabin one night Tom, like his father, believes they are providence.

Cutback

High School senior Luke Harris dreams of just one thing... pro surfing. But Luke's parents have other ideas: pick a college and grow up! When Luke learns that a spot is opening up on the local surf team, he see's his big chance to prove to his parents that he can make it as a surfer and avoid being shipped off to school. When a devastating tragedy strikes, Luke is forced to take a hard look at his life with the help of the beautiful "church-girl" Emily and his youth pastor.

Open Your Eyes

Unable to cope with recent events, screenwriter Jason Miller dives relentlessly into his newest screenplay in an attempt to avoid dealing with a traumatic experience. Holed up in his apartment, his mental state teetering on the edge, he meets Lisa; his beautiful neighbor from down the hall and a relationship begins to develop. Jason burns the midnight oil to finish his script he becomes more and more intrigued by her as strange and mysterious things begin to happen in the building causing him to question everything. With Jason's mind unraveling, his life spinning out of control, we soon realize that things aren't always as they seem as he struggles to hang onto the one thing he wants most. - hope.

The Green Grass

When money, power and success are at an all- time high Shawn has to dig deep within himself to stop his life from spinning wildly out of control. In the aftermath he'll count up the cost of, "The Green Grass."

The Poisoning

Matt, with the assistance of his new friend Riley, is moving out to Los Angeles California to fulfill his dream of making movies. Everything is off to a good start! That is until Matt's childhood best friend Chaps decides to crash the road trip and invite himself along. When old friends don't mix well with new friends, jealousy enters the picture. And if that wasn't enough to put a damper on the road trip, a menacing hitchhiker turns their world upside down leading to a maddening chase that spins wildly out of control.

Sinners in Heaven

Alan Croft, a young aviator and a girl from a strict English background are stranded on a cannibal island when their plane crashes on the way to Australia. The natives worship them, believing them to be gods, until a native girl discovers that the pilot is mortal. Giving up hope of rescue, they marry in the sight of God, but when they are found by a search plane Alan is wounded and left for dead. Barbara is spurned by her friends and family as having sinned, but Alan returns to claim her legally.

Bra Boys

A film about the cultural evolution of the Sydney beach side suburb of Maroubra and the social struggle faced by it's youth - the notorious surf gang known as the Bra Boys.

Blue Crush 2

Haunted by the memory of her deceased mother, Dana leaves Malibu behind and heads to South Africa to fulfill her mother's dream of surfing Jefferys Bay.

More related lists

Sort results by:

X close
Default
Clear filters
...