Exploring The Hollywood Life Nic Cage Style

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Nicolas Cage is back in the theaters with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. The new meta-comedy, starring Nicolas Cage as Nic Cage, is an almost in-depth look at the actor. From the start of the movie, Nic Cage plays himself as a struggling actor that's desperate to reclaim his former glory.

Cage bounces around at the beginning of the movie. We find our hero desperate to get hired for a part he calls, "the part of a lifetime." Between chasing his next Hollywood payday and meeting with his agent, Richard (Neil Patrick Harris), Cage is struggling to find some kind of a relationship with his 16-year-old daughter, Addy (Lily Mo Sheen).

When things look like they're going to get rough for the former action star, a job comes up that can help him take care of his financial problems.

Against the incredible scenery of Spain, Cage is introduced to the man that paid a million dollars to have him attend a birthday celebration. Cage and his ultimate fanboy, Javi Guitierrez (Pedro Pascal), become the best of friends. Cage finds himself in the weirdest of situations, the strangest of buddy cop relationships when he gets to know his host.

Finding a kindred spirit doesn't come without complications for Cage as he's approached by Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz, playing slightly bumbling C.I.A. agents that need Cage's help.

As Cage and Javi explore Spain and start working on a script together, Javi's real passion, Cage is spying on his friend who the C.I.A. believes is the leader of an arms cartel. The consummate actor and judge of character, Cage won't lose faith in his new friend.

While most of Cage's recent work has been straight to digital or streaming services and received very little fanfare, he proves in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, why he's an Academy Award winner and was one of the biggest stars of the 90s and early 2000s. Cage still has the versatility he has always been known for and delivers on the comedic, over-the-top acting we've known him for since the 80s.

From his interactions with his ex-wife, Sharon, and his Daughter, Addy to his bumbling capers as a spy, half trying to prove his new friend is a criminal, Cage is as enjoyable as ever.

Pedro Pascal shines in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and nails the role of fanboy and "wannabe" writer. Pascal knows nothing of the kidnapped girl the C.I.A. is looking for and wants to shine in the light of his favorite actor.

When the two find themselves up against the real bad guys, Cage finds his inner hero, and the two friends set out to prove that they can be the hero, stand up for what's right, and save the ones they love.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

This was a fun movie to watch. It doesn't have the massive appeal of Marvel, or Star Wars, which the movie points out are the dominant movies in the theaters in America and around the world. The one thing about The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent that sticks with you after watching is it is arguably about Nicolas Cage's life in parts and the trials of Hollywood successes and failures.

Cage has entertained the masses for nearly 40 years. He's had his ups and he's had his downs in Hollywood. The one thing about Nicolas Cage is that he's a worker. He's constantly working on one project or another, even though most of them go straight to digital or streaming services. Many of his movies go unnoticed. Ever the consummate actor, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent shows the world how hard it is to carry that kind of weight, and not get to fully show it to the world.

In my opinion, as a fan, I'd give The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent 4 out of 5 stars. Unfortunately, I don't expect it to be a movie that's well-received by wide audiences.