PLOT: Desperate for work, Nicolas Cage takes an unusual job visiting a billionaire fan for his birthday. Once he arrives, he is forced to work with the CIA, due to some shady dealings involving Nick’s host and the company he keeps.
REVIEW: Nicolas Cage is something special. It’s hard not to find joy watching him on screen. Whether you are checking out his less than acclaimed flicks like The Wicker Man remake or The Frozen Ground. Or you may be entertained by the many characters he’s played that are ferociously alive with energy like Raising Arizona, Con-Air, Honeymoon in Vegas, The Rock, and the list goes on on on. I’m a massive fan of the guy. Now he has one of the most enjoyable crowdpleasers that I’ve seen in a while. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is super meta, laugh-out-loud funny, and even offers a few touching moments. Director and writer Tom Gormican – along with co-writer Kevin Etten – have crafted a satisfying bit of escapism made for fans of Mr. Cage. Even if you aren’t in on his shenanigans, you’ll still find something cool with this one.
Nicolas Cage needs a good role. The actor is desperate to find the perfect film to bring his career back on track – although he keeps saying he never left whenever someone mentions a comeback. When he’s turned down for a new film from a director whom Nick admires, he is devastated. Even his ex-wife Olivia (Sharon Horgan) and his daughter Addy (Lily Mo Sheen) realize that maybe he needs to move on and figure out his life moving forward. All this only convinces him to take on an unusual job request. It’s a situation where he’d get paid a lot of money to spend time with a fan. The fan happens to be Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal), a billionaire with deadly ties to criminal acts. Once Cage arrives, he shockingly bonds with Javi until he’s unwittingly enlisted to help CIA agents Vivan (Tiffany Haddish) and Martin (Ike Barinholtz) bring this possible criminal down.
Massive Talent may be one of the best modern vehicles for Nicolas Cage. While the man has certainly had his fair share of flops, he’s also currently doing some of the best work of his career. From Pig to Mandy to Willy’s Wonderland, the actor has fully embraced the bizarre. It’s rather incredible to watch. And yes, his performance here is fantastic. Not only just as himself; let’s just say that you get two for the price of one with “Nicky.” He’s terrific here. And it only helps with the brilliant chemistry he shares with his co-star Pedro Pascal that brings it all together. Pedro is sensational as well. The actor brings warm and gleefully charming energy to his mega fan. It’s not hard to believe their friendship is working in the outlandish nature of this insane plot. Likely because of the excellent comedic timing both of these fine actors share.
Another performance that stands out is the lovely Sharon Horgan. What could’ve been a throwaway role becomes one of the most important performances in the film. As perhaps the “straight-man” in this wild story, Ms. Horgan brings grace and heart to this tale. As well, young Lily Mo Sheen is terrific as the daughter who feels burdened by her famous father’s shadow. Yes, this is an action film at heart, yet it also manages to find a level of humanity in the rich relationships that it explores within the action-comedy genre. And with references to nearly all of Cage’s previous work, it’s easy to get swept away by the clever and exciting energy this feature offers.
My only minor complaint is in the side story. Considering you have to find a way to have a chase scene and an action sequence here and there, the plot is more than a bit convoluted. Near the end of the second act, it felt as if the film was trying a bit too hard. If anything, this story could have lost ten to fifteen minutes on the runtime, and it wouldn’t have affected the final product. A movie about the fictional world of Nicolas Cage could have been many things. A comedic buddy comedy with action sounds about right, but it’s not nearly as weird as you might think. With all the references about Nick’s resume and the villainy involved, you may be surprised at how sweet this flick is. And frankly, when the focus is on Nick with his family or with Javi, that’s when you see the spark.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a feel-good moviegoing experience. The violence is minimal, but the action is decent. The story is packed, and there’s much to enjoy – perhaps a bit too much. Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal are delightful together every time they are on screen. If anything, this is a story about how important friendship is. It’s also a terrific reminder of what a glorious career Mr. Cage has had and continues to have. The actor has no issue about making fun of himself, and it’s incredibly satisfying as a viewer to be allowed in on the joke. It’s also a lark that will perhaps register with most moviegoers. Massive Talent is an entertaining bit of escapism that most of his fans will enjoy. Even if you aren’t necessarily a Cage fan, you’ll find a healthy bit of humor to appreciate in this crazy little comedy.
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