The world, according to film, is very small. For blockbuster audiences, New York, London, Abu Dhabi and Rio are the usual vacation destinations filled with action stunts and speedboat chases that are, at once, both exhilarating and exhausting.
The Surface, a two-man thriller that made its festival run last year, finds tension in the most unlikely of locations: the empty waters of Lake Michigan and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For the sheer fact that a local, independent film from an unsung American metropolis is reaching national theaters (in limited release) is a remarkable achievement and a reason to consider seeing an oddly compelling drama starring two longtime character actors despite it’s very schematic and – pardon me – surface-level narrative.
Geek hero Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings) stars as Mitch, a depressed Milwaukee fellow reeling from his life’s misfortunes. While taking his father’s vintage boat out on a day trip that he intends to be his last, he come across the wreckage of a plane crash in the middle of Lake Michigan along with its lone pilot survivor (Chris Mulkey, Captain Phillips). After pulling him to safety, Mitch’s boat loses it’s propeller, leaving the strangers stranded with only their troubled souls to keep each other afloat while the boat begins to sink.
For the sheer fact that a local, independent film from an unsung American metropolis is reaching national theaters (in limited release) is a remarkable achievement and a reason to consider seeing an oddly compelling drama starring two longtime character actors despite it’s very schematic and – pardon me – surface-level narrative.
It’s a simple set-up, reminiscent of 2013’s magnificent All Is Lost in its conceit, though far less powerful. Where Lost found its power in the solitude of the ocean, Surface finds itself telling far too much back story about the shipmates’ lives that is too poorly developed and overly melodramatic. Fortunately, and rather surprisingly, Astin’s sea legs are strong and able to carry the ‘made-for-TV’ styled drama, and with great charisma. Mulkey does a good job as well and their chemistry is a casting miracle.
Surface‘s direction though, like these open seas, is choppy. Director Gil Cates, Jr. handles the conversations very well, with the result being effective chemistry. When it comes to adding narrative heft and tension, however, there is a lack of trust in the bleak setting and the quiet power of subtext. What makes Lake Michigan such an interesting setting is its close proximity to its shores. The sense of being lost on a lake, so close to civilization, adds a very dynamic thematic element.
The story becomes further bogged down with tales of drug deals and backpacks of cash that add nothing but false tension. There’s an awkward scene that sees Mitch sulking next to a team of celebrity boaters as he sets sail, an example of red herring drama that goes nowhere and plays as unnecessary and distracting. In these regards, then, The Surface feels cheap and manipulative. However, it’s a film that is compelling enough to stay afloat for its brisk run time.
The Surface is in theaters today.
