"Surfacing" Review
Poignant messaging and capable central performance keep this queer romance afloat.
The new Canadian queer romance Surfacing treads into pretty rough waters as it follows the life of a troubled man trying to find love along with that of the therapist assigned to help him. As it navigates various confronting themes involving love, trauma, and familial ties, Surfacing remains effective even as it takes a while to find proper footing.
When our protagonist Cole (Damian Romeo) is first introduced, it’s evident that he’s a troubled man. Yet, at first, the screenplay seems to go out of its way to make him as alienating as possible. When he crosses paths with Jackson (co-star/screenwriter Johnathan Sharp), Cole tries to kick off a connection to end his solitude. However, Jackson is put off by how forward he is. Yet, when Jackson decides to meet up with Cole and give him a try, there is a growing connection.
Cindy Sampson stars in the new queer romance “Surfacing.” (Photo courtesy of Persimmon)
Once they decide to become physically intimate, as Cole becomes uneasy because he's reminded of the sexual abuse he’s endured as a child, Jackson going slow before further consummating their relationship only helps build a circle of trust between them. Their connection is made all the more appealing thanks to Johnathan Sharp’s performance as Jackson. Sharp brings loving yet unguarded openness to his portrayal of a man willing to give his heart to someone so troubled even if it means risking getting his heart crushed along the way.
Meanwhile, another acting standout is Cindy Sampson as Jessica McCall, Jackson’s loving mother who also turns out to be Cole’s court-mandated therapist. Sampson is pretty sublime as a woman caught between being willing to help her troubled patient and understandably weary of Cole dating her son out of fear that he might hurt him. Also, Sheila McCarthy, whom viewers might remember from the Oscar-winning masterpiece Women Talking, gets a scene-stealing role as the eccentric Dawn who enjoys buying the affections of his grandsons, Jackson and his brother Tyler (Gordon Gobbo).
Lead actor Damian Romeo fares well in his role as well even as he’s forced to elevate a character who’s pretty difficult to get behind at first. The chemistry between him and Johnathan Sharp as the film goes deeper into the central romance becomes believable. As pleasing as it is when we see them blissfully in love, Romeo conveys the painfully familiar fear of letting someone you love getting too close.
At its core, the central performances of Surfacing are what pull it far off the deep end of the ocean. Although it still occasionally succumbs to heavy-handed film making involving overly used symbolic scenes of both Cole and Jessica floating underwater, and having an initially too unlikable protagonist, Surfacing thrives on its performances along with its message of not being afraid to let people in whether it’s a chance at romance or if it’s someone who can be a listener if you’re struggling and need one.
Grade: B
Surfacing is currently available to rent and buy on Prime Video.