At The Movies: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is directed by Tom Gormican and stars Nicolas Cage as…well, Nicolas Cage. You read that correctly. Not only does this gem of a film feature the years best film title, it also delivers us the iconic Hollywood star playing a comical fictionalized version of himself with absolutely hilarious results.
For an actor who has made a career of playing flamboyant and eccentric characters, is there any greater honour than the opportunity to play a version of yourself, in a screenplay written specifically about you? It’s a dare that few could pull off (or dare to), but hats off to Nicolas Cage for throwing himself into the project and delivering a fantastic performance.
TUWOMT centres around “Nic Cage”, a middle aged Hollywood actor who despite his hard work ethic and continual output, can not achieve the elusive heights and success of his past. Falling from the spotlight, he desperately searches for the blockbuster film to “bring him back” to relevance, despite his adamant claim of having never really gone away. His finances are a mess, his drinking is escalating and his strained relationship with his family at breaking point. Taking advice from his agent to make some quick cash and pay off his debts, Nic flies to Spain to attend a billionaire super fans birthday party. Things soon take a wildly unexpected turn as Nic inadvertently finds himself in the middle of a CIA investigation and an international kidnapping. Recruited by the CIA, Nic goes undercover with his unique set of acting skills to try and solve the crime with hilarious results.
Nicolas Cage has to be one of the hardest working actors of the modern era. With more than 100 film credits to his name across a 40+ year career, he’s known for taking risks and has played a myriad of weird and wonderful characters. This film is undeniably a love-letter to his career, with a multitude of references sprinkled throughout the plot and Nic channelling past roles to help solve the case. However, it’s also incredibly funny and entertaining as the plot unwinds and the action escalates. The heart of the film absolutely lies within the bromance that develops between Cage and billionaire super fan Javi (The wonderful Pedro Pascal). There are some great scenes between the two characters, and the comedic chemistry works really well for some genuinely funny moments.
TUWOMT is daringly original, highly entertaining and delivers us Nicolas Cage doing very Nicolas Cage things. Kudos to Tom Gormicon and the studio for delivering this project, I absolutely loved it. Don’t miss out on one of the surprises of 2022!
Movie Review By Samuel Phillips