Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage has had quite a career. Nephew to Academy Award winner Francis Ford Coppola, Cage began his career with hits such as Valley Girl, Raising Arizona, Moonstruck, Wild at Heart, culminating with his Oscar win in Leaving Las Vegas. Since that win, Cage’s filmography has been a unique blend as the latter part of the ’00s into the 2010s led Cage to become one of the most meme-worthy actors working today.
Cage has had a career resurgence in recent years. Films like Mandy, Willy’s Wonderland, and most recently Pig have thrown Cage back into pop-culture prominence. Therefore, when the news first broke that Cage would be playing himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, I could not help but be intrigued. That intrigue was rewarded immensely.
Massive Talent not only captures Nic Cage’s uniqueness and hilarity but pokes fun at the Oscar winner while embracing what makes him one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors. It’s not just one of the year’s funniest films, but the Cage/Pascal buddy cop film cinephiles deserve.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent begins with an iconic scene from one of Cage’s most popular films and a teenage girl referring to the Oscar winner as a “fucking legend.” Those two words begin a meta adventure that follows Cage playing a fictional version of himself, struggling to attain roles and a personal life in chaos. When Cage’s agent Fink (Neil Patrick Harris) offers him a gig to appear at a superfan’s birthday for a million dollars, he accepts. The shenanigans include a CIA mission, a budding bromance, and callbacks that can only be found in a Nicolas Cage film.
Massive Talent‘s success begins with writer/director Tom Gormican and his co-writer Kevin Etten understanding the assignment. Rather than entirely relying on the meta-commentary of Cage’s career, the duo blends the commentary with a satirical look at the Hollywood machine, filmmaking, cinephiles, and of course, the bromance spy film. Sprinkling in easter eggs regarding the only organization Cage represents to shaming anyone who wouldn’t want to spend an evening watching the 102-year-old The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Gormican and Etten craft the best crowd-pleasing comedy of the first half of 2022.
With a witty screenplay, the man responsible for Cage-rage must be up to the task. Cage steps up his game with a performance that matches the duality of his role in Adaptation.. While adding an emotional depth to his character, Cage embraces the meme-worthy moments of his career in a satisfying fashion. His comedic timing jumps off the screen and aids in his chemistry with Pedro Pascal.
Pascal matches Cage’s charisma as superfan Javi, leading to some of the most significant LOL moments of the year. From the duo working on a screenplay on a drive in the mountains to Javi speaking on the importance of the 1994 Cage starring vehicle, Guarding Tess, the team develops such a strong connection and bond throughout the film that it becomes impossible not to root for more projects between the two acclaimed actors in the future.
While Massive Talent works on almost all levels, the film’s villain leaves little to be desired. Maybe it’s a nod to the villains of the ’90s action film. However, the heel of the film fails to work on any level, and the totality of what the film offers fails even to match the satire laid upon cinephiles throughout the runtime.
Amidst the lack of adequate criminal presence in the film, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is this year’s comedy event. Cage and Pascal are must-see and the film ultimately accomplishes its goal of bringing to light that Nicolas Cage is an absolute icon.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent opens April 22nd.
