Posted by Nic Cage finds himself Nic Caging in desperation to ensure he can Nic Cage enough for this movie about Nic Cage
Wow. Two reviews in one day. As you can tell, I’m playing catch up.
I’m not much of a Nicolas Cage fan. I mean I don’t dislike him, he’s just not an actor I’ve been all that invested in. Yet, this movie seemed intriguing enough for me to watch. Maybe it’s the fact I quite enjoy self-parody and anyone that can laugh at themselves is a friend of mine. Anyway, in order to get into the mood for writing this review, I spent the last 10 minutes watching random movie scenes of Cage… and I think I’m ready to join the cult!
I’ve never quite understood Cage. Is he always high on drugs or something? I genuinely cannot tell if he’s joking or even in on the joke. His acting has always seemed a bit over-the-top. Which is fine if you’re Jim Carrey, however, most Nic Cage characters seem like they’re supposed to be played seriously. And he does that. Until he starts screaming and overreacting. Who does he think he is? Al Pacino?
The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent is such a strange film. Most movie references probably went over my head. Even then, I loved it! It seems to build on this weird persona of Nic Cage and plays into how odd a guy he is. There’s scenes where he finds himself talking to a younger manifestation of himself which are truly entertaining. From the way he talks to himself, to a kiss scene which is as uncomfortable as it is hilarious!
I didn’t understand if this younger vision of himself was a particular character he played in the past, but then I found this interview Nicolas Cage did with Terry Wogan and it seems like he was playing this wild persona of himself:
Such a bizarre person. And again, I’m finding myself wanting to watch more!
Despite being a movie about Cage, with the focus being primarily on him, I found the standout performance for me was that of Pedro Pascal. He plays a crime lord named Javi Gutierrez with such charm and innocence that you cannot help feeling your heart melt when he is in the presence of his idol, Cage. Pascal balances creepy with endearing so well, I never thought it was even possible to do so.
The scenes Cage and Pascal have together in the middle act are laugh out loud funny. Especially when they find themselves on acid whilst discussing a potential movie script they’re coming up with. The paranoia leads to some extremely amusing situations which made it difficult for me not to laugh.
Not everything works though. I feel the CSI agents were largely wasted. Especially when one of them was played by Ike Barinholtz, who has it in him to be quite funny. They ultimately end up nowhere and the movie continues to move without them quite unceremoniously. Also, even though the final act is enjoyable in it’s own right with it’s action sequences, it’s the middle act with Cage and Pascal that are mostly entertaining. I guess every movie needs it’s explosive ending.
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Oh wow. I’ve just had a revelation. What if The OddFather is a persona that appears to my true self?! And similarly to Nic Cage, I find the real me talking to The OddFather in public when only I can see him. That’s some serious Fight Club shit! Mind. Blown.
Verdict
The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent is an amazing movie, even if you’re not big into Nicolas Cage movies. Cage does a great job building on his eccentricity but its Pedro Pascal that steals the show here.
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