Wednesday, August 24, 2022

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

IMDb plot summary: In this action-packed comedy, Nicolas Cage plays Nick Cage, channeling his iconic characters as he's caught between a superfan and a CIA agent.
Directed by Tom Gormican. Starring Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, and Tiffany Haddish.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent stars Nicolas Cage as himself, struggling to connect with his 16-year-old daughter and wondering if he should give up acting. He takes one last gig, which turns out to tangle him up in both international espionage and a once-in-a-lifetime bromance. The concept of this movie is fun, but... in so many ways, it's a weaker version of Adaptation. The meta commentary, the real-life artist struggling to create, even two Nicolas Cages arguing with each other. It's not unpleasant, but having just watched Adaptation, a lot of the similar humor and twists don't land as well here. What does make this movie work for me is the warm friendship between Cage and Javi. Even as Cage is making plans to take down Javi or turn him into the U.S. government, we feel how strong their bond is and hope for things to turn out right. And not to give too much of a spoiler, but when they ultimately start fighting on the same side, it's deeply satisfying. Pedro Pascal plays Javi and is incredibly charming, and I don't think the movie would have been the same with someone else in the role. Overall, a fluffy, fun watch, but if you want something headier... Adaptation is right there.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent > Port of Shadows
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent < Woman in the Dunes
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent > Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent > L'atalante
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent < 1917
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent < sex, lies, and videotape
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent > Father Goose
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent < Army of Shadows
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent < A Grand Day Out with Wallace and Gromit
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent > Undercover Blues
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent < Extremities
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent < A League of Their Own
Final spot: #1111 out of 3661, or 70%.

No comments: