The Surface (2014)

Two strangers, both at the end of their rope, suddenly meet in the middle of the unpredictable waters of Lake Michigan.

Director:

Gil Cates Jr.

Writer:

Jeff Gendelman

Stars:

Sean Astin, Mimi Rogers, Chris Mulkey

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Sean Astin	...	Mitch
Mimi Rogers	...	Kim
Chris Mulkey	...	Kelly
John Emmet Tracy	...	Bank Manager
Elvis Thao	...	Factory Worker
Chike Johnson
Lisa Mihelich	...	Cheering Fan
Neil Willenson	...	Nelson, Fox TV Cameraman
Jeff Gendelman	...	John
Sam Fuhrer	...	The Waterskier
David John Rosenthal	...	Fisherman
Deleono Johnson	...	Factory Worker
Robert A. Smith
Dylan Simon	...	Cheering Fan
Rachel Renee	...	Laurie

Storyline

Two strangers, both at the end of their rope, suddenly meet in the middle of the unpredictable waters of Lake Michigan.

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Taglines:

Sometimes You Look For The End. Sometimes It Looks For You.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 May 2016 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Good Note Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sean Astin & Chris Mulkey both appeared on the popular TV show 24, Sean in season 5 & Chris in season 7.

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Goofs

After bringing Kelly on board his boat Mitch attempts to start his boat to take them home but the motor sputters and smokes and won't start. But when he pulls the motor up he finds that the prop has broken off which would not have caused the problems previously shown.

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Quotes

Kelly: When I was a child, my mother used to say to me, "If you had another brain, it would be lonesome." Talking to you, I finally understand what she meant.

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Connections

Edited into Gasparilla International Film Festival News Package (2015)

User Reviews

A story of survival, friendship, and hope.

Sean Astin and Chris Mukley provide fine performances in director Gil Cates Jr. suspenseful film centered on two desperate men who have a chance meeting in the middle of Lake Michigan. Mitch (Astin) is determined to kill himself because he blames himself for his father's death in a factory accident. Kelly Enright (Mulkey) crashes his plane into the Lake while on a delivery of a backpack with $125,000 for either drugs or black market human body parts. Both men are desperately searching for hope and identity in their lives. The videography is stunning, and the writing creates a realistic give and take of hostility until each man realizes he must depend upon the other for survival. The film begins with a dream-like sequence of Mitch preparing for his trip out onto Lake Michigan (and his eventual suicide). He meticulously preps for his day, fills a bird feeder with enough seed to last several weeks, then visits his mother (who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease) in a nursing home. After making certain that everything he is leaving behind is in order, Mitch motors his father's small fishing boat out into the lake. Soon Mitch discovers the wreckage of a small plane and pulls the pilot (Kelly), who had been clinging to part of one of the wings, into his craft. The remainder of the film entails Mitch and Kelly discussing bleaker anecdotes of life that all of us experience and, often, keep to ourselves. Mitch has suffered the loss of his girlfriend through a skate boarding accident, the death of his father through the warehouse accident, and his mother to Alzheimer's. Through a chance cell phone call from the men who are awaiting Kelly's arrival with the money, Mitch is able to contact 911 and both men are rescued by the Coast Guard stationed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. By the time of the rescue both men have helped each discover that hope survives. As Kelly said to Mitch during one of Mitch's self-indulgent diatribes, "...don't do that to yourself [...] people have choices...". This is a must see Indy film. The acting is sound, the writing is crisp and honest, the directing is insightful, and the videography is stunning and haunting.