Review: 'Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent'
Pedro Pascal and Nicolas Cage, who plays a fictional version of himself, star in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent." Credit: Lionsgate/Katalin Vermes
PLOT Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalized version of himself in this comedy.
CAST Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Tiffany Haddish, Neil Patrick Harris
RATED R (language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and violence)
LENGTH 1:46
WHERE In theaters
BOTTOM LINE A fitting tribute to a Hollywood icon.
"We're back, not that we ever went anywhere," Nicolas Cage says while playing himself in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," a movie that has a plot and other characters but really exists to celebrate everything Cage.
His fictionalized self is referring to a career that these days can sometimes seem to be mired in action schlock with titles like "Primal" or "Rage," or experimental oddities such as "Willy's Wonderland," a movie where Cage's character never says a word as he fights demonic animatronic beings.
But those of us who get it (call us Cageaholics), those of us who might be serious enough fans to own a sequined pillow case with Cage's face on it, recognize that this particular idiosyncratic star never went anywhere.
The secret to his success: He's never, ever boring and he never mails it in.
It's an example for all of us: whether the script's bad, or the director's not up for the job, or you're just feeling a little bit off, show up to work and give it your all.
"The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" is a love letter to this man, his career and that ethos.
In the film, the fictionalized Cage has alienated his movie daughter, Addy (Lily Sheen), and on-screen ex-wife, Olivia (Sharon Horgan), because of his relentless career focus and self-obsession.
He's constantly seeking out the next big part, while playing out an internal conflict between his desire to be a serious dramatic actor who puts the work first and the ego-fueled movie star within. The latter is represented here by Cage playing "Nicky Cage," a version of himself circa the early '90s.
A superfan named Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal) offers Cage $1 million to attend his birthday party in Mallorca and while such an offer might be beneath even the man who seems to never say no, the movie version of Cage could use the cash.
Once there, he gets swept up in some CIA-related drama involving agents played by Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz, but let's be honest: nobody is coming to this movie for any of that.
They're here for its true focus: Piling in as many self-reflexive Cage nods as possible, including having the man repeat some of his most famous dialogue and startle himself while watching himself in "Guarding Tess."
In its combination of self-deprecation and earnest affection; its eccentric amalgamation of different genres and moods; the way it honors Cage, his work and the joy he has brought to so many, for so long, "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" gets at something ineffable and true about the man himself.
