The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a film with an absolute inspired piece of casting for its lead character. Playing the main role of Nic Cage is none other than Nicolas Cage. It's a role that Cage was born to play and as a result it's one of his best performances in years. He's an actor known for playing a number of good roles in his career, as well as a number of bad ones, but this time he's back with what's for sure his most Nic Cage role yet.
In the film, Nic is struggling with his acting career, as well as his family life. He's not landing any new roles and he's struggling to connect with his ex-wife, Olivia (Sharon Horgan) and his daughter, Addy (Lily Sheen). When Nic's agent (Neil Patrick Harris) calls him up saying that a Nic Cage superfan is offering to pay $1m for Cage to come to his birthday party, Nic reluctantly decides that it's time to retire from acting and agrees to attend.
Upon arriving in Mallorca, he meets billionaire Javi (Pedro Pascal), the biggest Nicolas Cage fan in the world. The two bond over their love of movies, with a particular loveable Peruvian bear getting a big shout out, and the pair really start to hit it off. However, Nic's trip gets rudely interrupted by Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz's CIA agents who assert that Javi is, in fact, a globally wanted criminal. Cage has to step up to be the action hero of his films to save lives of himself and his family.
When focusing on being a comedy, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is absolutely hilarious. It's laugh-out-loud stuff that'll leave you in stitches. As you might expect, Cage channels his inner Nic Cage perfectly and the chemistry between him and Pedro Pascal is so sharp. As a buddy comedy, the pair bring their A-game making it a joy to watch. Pascal proves once again that he can add so much energy and spirit to anything he's in; when paired up with Nic Cage, the two eat everything up. Watching the two take an LSD trip together and not having any idea what's going on is probably going to end up as one of the funniest scenes of the year.
When it comes to the action side of things, this is where the film falls down. At 105 minutes long, it does feel around ten or fifteen minutes too long as the action side of the plot comes more to the forefront in the final act. It's not that it's uninteresting or boring, it's just not as entertaining as Nic Cage and Pedro Pascal being silly and having a fun time together. You're not watching this film to see if the bad guys get their due at the end of it, you're watching it to see Nic Cage be Nic Cage for an hour and forty five minutes.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is completely aware of what it wants to be, and it embraces this meta, wacky journey to the max as it uncages Nic to allow Cage go full Nicolas Cage. It's meta and brilliantly entertaining. There are very few actors that could make a good film about fictionalised versions of themselves but thankfully Nicolas Cage is one of them. It's an absolute blast.
If you're a fan of Nic Cage, and let's be honest, that should be everyone, gather up your Nic Cage sequined cushions – yes, this cushion does make it into the film – finish your Nic Cage marathon, and prepare to watch Nic Cage play Nic Cage in this rip-roaringly funny comedy.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is released in UK cinemas on April 22nd.
