Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Being John Malkovich,JCVD,This Is The End,and now,The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. These films have managed to find success and fandoms within a small niche genre of cinema where prominent celebrities play alternate versions of themselves in film. The concept is usually played for laughs (This Is The End) or, in some cases, as a form of deep self reflection for an aging star trying to find relevance in the modern era (JCVD). InMassive Talent, it’s both. And if that sounds like an incredibly difficult task to pull off, its because it is. And yet, against all odds,Massive Talentdelivers an entertaining and engaging story filled with laughs, heart and (most importantly) Nicolas Cage.
![The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent Review: Nicolas Cage Is Nicolas Cage [SXSW]](https://i2.wp.com/www.slashfilm.com/img/gallery/the-unbearable-weight-of-massive-talent-review-nicolas-cage-is-nicolas-cage-sxsw/l-intro-1647219901.jpg)
InMassive Talentwe see a version of Nic Cage who’s desperate for work, drowning in debt and losing the respect of his family. His attempts to maintain a relationship with his teenage daughter only seem to push her further away. When his agent (Neil Patrick Harris) tells Cage about an offer to attend a super fan’s birthday party for the price of one million dollars, he begrudgingly accepts with the intentions of paying off his debt and retiring from show business. But when he meets the super fan, Javi (Pedro Pascal), Cage is swept into an active CIA investigation that will test his loyalties and push him in ways that he’s never been pushed before.
Recent years have seen Nicolas Cage exploring smaller, more eccentric films and redefining himself as a performer. Films likeMandyandPighave allowed the actor to deliver some of his best performances since his Oscar winning role as Ben Sanderson inLeaving Las Vegas.Massive Talentexplorers this transition in style through the loving lens of a Nicolas Cage super fan. It continuously pays tribute to the star, and honors his legacy through flashes, nods and easter eggs of his long running career on the big screen. Like a shrine to his work,Massive Talentgathers the legacy of Nicolas Cage into a time capsule. But it’s not only a love letter to Nic Cage himself, but a love letter to cinema as a whole.
Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) does the impossible. He manages to shine even brighter than Nic Cage with his portrayal of the star struck cinephile (who may also be a drug lord), Javi; but, its the chemistry between the two of them during their shared screen time that launchesMassive Talentto the next level. Their friendship and instant connection feels natural, and the bond between them is believably strong. Director and co-writer Tom Gormican is a self proclaimed Nic Cage fanatic. That undeniable love for the man and the myth that is Nic Cage spills from the pages of the script and to the screen with a seamless efficiency.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talentis a film for those of us who love going to the movies. Whether you loveThe Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, or preferPaddington 2, Massive Talentis broad enough to please a very wide spectrum of movie goers. My theater was filled with an audience who laughed at the jokes, cheered at the insanity and genuinely embraced the experience of Nic Cage’s wild adventure of self reflection and espionage. Who would have guessed that one of Nic Cages best performances would be playing.. Nic Cage? 8.5/10
Follow us for more entertainment coverage onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram, andYouTube.
Joshua Ryan
Lead Film & TV Critics Editor
Articles Published :322
Born and raised in Central Florida, Joshua Ryan has harbored a love for cinema since the earliest years of his childhood. Through endless hours of watching Turner Classic Movies, especially the works of Alfred Hitchcock, his passion for film and film criticism grew. As an adult, he channeled that passion into a career as the editor and lead critic of FandomWire’s film and television department.
More from Joshua Ryan
Americana Review – Heart, Humor, Bloodshed, and Grit
Peacemaker Season 2 Review – A Wild Ride of Violence and Vulnerability
Night Always Comes Review – A Thrilling Descent into Darkness
Recommended
‘Lord of Mysteries’ and ‘To Be Hero X’ Are Giving ‘One Piece’ a Massive Reality Check
10 Actors You Didn’t Know Were in Smallville: From Dave Bautista to Cobie Smulders
NYT Connections Hints and Solution for July 04, 2025
Toei Animation May Have Lost Its Touch After ‘One Piece’s Hiatus
Top 5 Best Time Skips in Anime
Dark Crime Shows With Mike-Like Antiheroes to Watch Before Mayor of Kingstown Season 4
ComedyMassive TalentMoviesNicolas CagereviewsThe Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
