A weird film given that it was the most hype any Nicolas Cage has had in a long time, and it’s his easiest role ever, an actor’s dream to turn up to set and have to be themselves. His filmography in recent years has been littered with small movies, seemingly taking anything that comes his way with the odd one that does critically well (i.e. Pig, Mandy and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse).
Nicolas Cage plays himself as he has given up on acting, and taking his last job to attend a wealthy superfan, Javi (Pedro Pascal)’s birthday party for $1 Million. However, when he arrives he is met by the FBI who reveal to Nic that Javi is the head of an arms cartel and is holding a young girl hostage.
The nicest thing about this film is that Nic Cage gets the chance to be in a bigger film again. His love of film and the industry is perfectly clear through the press tour for this film, and also a big part of the story itself. And that’s where the true heart of the story comes from. This isn’t a film for the general audience in many ways, but is a clear passion project in a way of a man who seems to be misunderstood by Hollywood, loves films and wants to be taken seriously. He’s already listed a bunch of directors he wants to work with and I wouldn’t be surprised if all of them didn’t come knocking for at least a small role in one of their upcoming films.
The bromance between Nic Cage and Pedro Pascal is clear to see. Pascal has stated before how much of a fan he is of Cage, and that just makes the performance easier and feel even more natural. I’m a big fan of Pascal, he was recently the best part of Judd Apatow’s latest film, The Bubble, when he isn’t off on adventures with Baby Yoda in The Mandalorian.
There’s plenty of jokes, not all of which land when it isn’t taking itself seriously. It’s very self aware, a bit too much at times for me, being a little too on the nose and too often. But there are likely to be at least a couple that will make you laugh out loud, if not the whole screening.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent maybe a very long name that will be forgotten, and will go down as Nic Cage: The Movie, a movie that shows why he’s so beloved by movie goers. A lot of fun, a lot of heart, that doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you’re a Nic Cage fan, then you won’t be disappointed by this feel good film.
What did you think of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent?
Flooders Films 
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