The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal leap into adventure in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
A gonzo melting of reality and fantasy, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent works best when it’s not trying so hard — much like Nicolas Cage. Director and co-writer Tom Gormican (That Awkward Moment) constructs a film that is both a spoof and a tribute to Cage’s long and often odd career. There’s even a personification of Cage’s raging Id, symbolized by a de-aged 80s-era Nicolas Cage, full of screaming rants and wild eyes.
Gormican is fantastic at layering references to Cage’s filmography; there are direct parodies of famous scenes and subtle nods to famous lines and moments. It’s a feast for Cage aficionados who will doubtlessly have a blast re-watching and picking out all the Easter eggs.
Verdict: Though the film is unquestionably a self-aware flick about the career of Cage, it works best as a dramedy about two men who form a rather touching friendship.
