Film Review: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent ('22, Dir: Tom Gormican)

 

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

Written by Tom Gormican & Kevin Etten

Directed by Tom Gormican 

Nicolas Cage is one of the greatest actors to ever do it. There, I've said it. Sure, over his last 30+ years working in Hollywood he has become a sort of larger-than-life myth, a gonzo, go-for-broke actor that will appear in just about any movie that comes his way. It's easy to forget that he won an Academy Award for Best Actor (Leaving Las Vegas) and was nominated for another (Adaptation.) It's easy to overlook that last year's Pig was not only one of the best films of the year but perhaps the crowning acting achievement of his career thus far. When one's filmography includes such works as The Wicker Man and Season of the Witch and direct to video silliness like Primal and Grand Isle it can be easy to forget that not only is Nicolas Cage one of the great movie stars of modern Hollywood but when he gives it his all, he's as electric and engaging as anyone to ever appear on the silver screen. And the thing about Nicolas Cage is I'm fairly certain he always gives it his all. He always understands the assignment. He's always in on the joke. Any doubts about his self-awareness should be put to bed upon the release of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. 

There is a long history of actors playing themselves (or slightly altered versions of themselves) in film and television. Oftentimes it is a cameo that pays off a joke (Bruce Willis in Ocean's Twelve, Neil Patrick Harris in the Harold and Kumar movies,) and sometimes it is a longer-running situation wherein their identity becomes part of the piece in a significant way, such as Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm or the cast of This is The End. Rarely, however, has a film been constructed in such a way wherein an actor gets to play themselves as the lead in a film that allows them to deconstruct their career and the way the common perception of them has shifted over time. There are other versions of this film featuring different performers playing themselves and it's entirely possible that those films would have been good too. But Nicolas Cage (or Nicolas Kim Coppola, if we're being honest) is the perfect actor, the perfect fabled, magnetic myth of a man to take this clever concept and really make it sing. It's a joy to behold. 

The trick that makes this film work is a simple one: it's an actual movie. Although there are myriad jokes and references to Cage and his many films, with Gormican never passing judgment or looking down upon any of his work (this is a love letter to Nic Cage, after all) it very quickly becomes clear that the heart and narrative drive of this film is a buddy comedy. We know what Nic Cage can do in a film, and he's given the opportunity here to show all sides of him: the comedy, the delightful over-the-top mannerisms, the raw vulnerability the emphasizes some of his best work. But in order for this to succeed he needed a sparring partner that was up to the task. Enter Pedro Pascal. Nic Cage is a generous performer in this film, particularly considering he's playing himself. He could've eaten up the screen and not let anybody else get a moment in the sun. And yes, in some ways, he does still eat up the screen. But so does Pedro Pascal. Watching Pedro's career unfold and soar over the last decade has been a gift, and he is an absolute thrill in this film. His joy and gusto and smirk are infectious, and he and Cage develop terrific chemistry. They make for a great duo. Many of the film's best moments and richest laughs are born from these two actors getting to hang out and develop and on-screen friendship that feels real. 

The construction of this film is clever in the way that it allows Mr. Cage to play in the different sandboxes he has excelled in. There's a surprisingly potent through line of family drama, with Sharon Hogan and Lily Mo Sheen solidly playing Nic's fictional ex-wife and daughter, respectively. There is a fair share of substance abuse in the film, which leads to perhaps the film's funniest sequence. And there's also the action/espionage element. The film introduces Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz (both amusing in relatively small parts) as CIA agents that engage Nic Cage to help them take down members of the cartel. This element becomes the driving force of the film, alongside the buddy comedy aspect, and although this is a relatively small production Mr. Cage gets to dive back into the action roles that helped make him a star in the 90s. Who doesn't fondly remember Face/Off and Con Air? Co-writer/director Tom Gormican certainly doesn't, and this film has enjoyable action and car chases as well. 

In many ways, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a small miracle. It could've been a weak vanity project, although by all accounts Mr. Cage had to be strongly convinced to do this film. It could've been a mess of references and jokes that never leads anywhere significant or worthwhile. And it does have elements of all of those things. But in earnest, this film is a joyous love letter to one of our most iconic personalities and performers. It is hilarious, it is sweet, it is appropriately weird and silly, and if you have even a passing interest or appreciation of Nicolas Cage there is much enjoyment to be had. I could make some grand statement about how Cage still has it, but that would assume he ever didn't have it. And that's just not the case. This film is the perfect reminder of that.