Follow Us
Join UsStar Cast: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Tiffany Haddish & ensemble.
Director: Tom Gormican
What’s Good: Nicolas Cage is brave to face his career shaped up to be a comedy and even acknowledge his most criticised moments. Pedro Pascal’s entire existence!
What’s Bad: That while it is about the ‘unbearable weight’ of his talent, we never feel that piling up because we never go that deep in emotions.
Loo Break: You shouldn’t. It’s a very small film and an entertaining watch.
Watch or Not?: Give it a try. Not that you get to see meta films every day. Plus there is more to it comically.
Language: English
Available On: In Theatres Near You.
Runtime: 106 Minutes
User Rating:
Nick Cage aka Nicolas Cage is a fading star and one that is insecure about losing his shine. He makes the effort to come back to the game but realises not many people want him anymore. A drug lord Javi (Pedro Pascal) on some far island is a worshipper of the star and summons him one day. He has a script for him and Government on his lookout. The adventures begin from here.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Movie Review: Script Analysis
He is Nicolas Cage, the man from Face/Off, The Rock, and many other films that are arguably good but are edged in our memories for sure. One fine day he decides to dissect his career and agrees to bring out comedy from it while taking the harshest of the criticism and also accepting that the once a shining movie star is now a fading actor. He names it The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, a brave move and one that needs to be appreciated.
Creating a meta-universe out of his own self, where he is real and the rest are fictional, Nicolas Cage with writers Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten create a blueprint of a person who does realise he is getting older, and makes effort to still be relevant, but is also not ready to accept that he is fading. He tries to stay in the past and expects people around him to do the same so the present doesn’t bother him much. This takes away everyone from him except his agent played by an amazing Neil Patrick Harris, who has the most ridiculous (read practical) ideas to earn money.
The script introduces Nick Cage as a debt-ridden, no work in his kitty, problematic relationship dynamics, and an unsure lifestyle living person. So it literally breaks the phenomenon of him being larger than life right in the beginning. So this isn’t the Nicolas Cage you saw on the camera, but he is off it right now. It is entertaining see how the makers on each step make the actor address some of the most controversial moments of his career and even plant some Easter eggs.
But as one would assume the movie is only about Cage and his massive talent, it isn’t. It is also about an unexpected bond between two men, one of which worships the other. There is a parallel storyline that includes many guns and a considerable amount of action. The comedy comes out organically from it and does entertain its viewers. It is refreshing to see them create a bond in the most hilarious way and end it in style.
What the script lacks is making the viewer feel that ‘unbearable weight’. And that can only be done if you delve into emotions and not just stick to comedy. There are too many opportunities sprinkled everywhere in the movie to do that. Cage’s relationship with his daughter, the moment he decides quiting acting, when a drug lord summons him and a superstar has to obey because money. There is a very small moment when Nick’s daughter is angry with him and he says, “There is no script for parenting”. The only time you feel the weight.
There is of course shout outs to Con Air, Guarding Tess, The Croods 2 and more. Go check yourself.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Movie Review: Star Performance
Nicolas Cage has a task of acting himself while making it look convincing. If you watch one Cage interview on YouTube, you will know that it isn’t a difficult thing for the actor. He convincingly blends real and fictional to a point that he might just make it look like a biopic. But the absurdity of all pulls you back and makes you realise it isn’t.
Pedro’s effortless screen presence happens to be one of the best parts about the movie. Pascal manages to play Javi with a trait where comedy comes out of him organically and it doesn’t look forced. He is a drug lord, do you also need to be afraid of him and the actor manages to do that too.
However, Sharon Horgan, Lily Mo Sheen and Tiffany Haddish don’t get to do much and end up being triggers to take the story ahead.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Movie Review: Direction, Music
Tom Gormican seems to be a huge fan of Nicolas Cage. He makes sure his muse is in each frame and there is no moment that is away from him. It also puts the film on risk and limits the development. But he compensates that with the comedy.
Mark Isham puts the right amount of music and helps create a good vibe. Also, costume team, please can someone courier me that massive ring Cage wears throughout the film if it was an addition by you guys?
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Movie Review: The Last Word
The movie that has Nicolas Cage in every single corner is entertaining and a good watch, but it does miss the main thing it promised and you cannot ignore it.
Lionsgate India brings The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent to theatres near you on 22nd April/ today.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Trailer
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent releases on 22nd April, 2022.
Share with us your experience of watching The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
Not into dramas? Check out our Dharmaveer movie review for an action-packed ride!
