A down on his luck Nick Cage (Nicolas Cage as a parody version of himself) is offered $1 million to attend the birthday party of one of his super fans, Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal). But is Javi all that he seems? Is he simply a successful businessman, who also happens to be a Nick Cage super fan, or is he the head of an international crime syndicate responsible for the kidnap of a local politician's daughter? That's what CIA agents Vivian (Tiffany Haddish) and Martin (Ike Barinholtz) want Nick to find out... hopefully before he gets himself and his family killed.
Did you ever wonder what was Nicolas Cage's craziest role? Could it be the guy who escaped from hell in a muscle car, or the FBI agent wearing someone else's face? Maybe it's the construction worker who travelled to Pakistan on a supposedly divine mission to find Osama bin Laden, or the magician with the ability to see into the future (I never said it had to be a role in a good movie). No matter what, I'm sure most of us never considered the possibility that Cage would one day play himself. But that's exactly what he has done in Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten's The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
I don't know if this is his craziest role, but it certainly is a perfect role for the outlandish star (who else could play Nicolas Cage, or Nick Cage for that matter?). Clearly Gormican and Etten know their audience because The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent feels like it comes straight from the mind of Cage himself; a hysterical, mad-cap, B-movie-esque adventure - albeit one with a human story at its centre - filled to the brim with on the nose references to Cage's colourful career (some expected, some not so much). In many ways the movie does feel oddly self-aware. It may be a fictional story, but when it comes to the 'Big Daddy' himself, it's easy to believe that we're skirting pretty close to reality here, which is probably why The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is so much fun.
Now there may be no denying that Cage's portrayal of himself is spot on - not to mention funny as hell - but this isn't just about him. In fact, the movie wouldn't be half as fun without the rest of its quirky cast, including Sharon Horgan as the exasperated ex-wife and Neil Patrick Harris as the always upbeat agent. But at the top of that list is the scene-stealing Pedro Pascal. The Mandalorian star brings a genuine likeability to 'Javi', despite some unclear intentions, and he shares an electric chemistry with Cage. The two actors play off of each other's bonkers performances brilliantly. As their characters bond over a love of movies, they also manage to get into some hilariously insane hijinks - like an acid trip involving a rather troublesome wall. However, this story of unexpected friendship eventually gives way to one of kidnapping (doesn't it always?), with Nick and Javi becoming ensnared in a ridiculous but tense game of cat and mouse, apparently without even realising it. And yet all throughout, the laughs just keep on coming.
A gonzo adventure with one of Hollywood's most outlandish stars, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is as entertaining as it is ridiculous. And at its heart is a subtle message for fans and haters alike (it's not that subtle).
8/10
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Spot on.
ReplyDeleteCheers Rich. I'm glad you enjoyed the movie as much as I did.
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