The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is an action comedy directed by Tom Gormican, who also co-wrote the script with Kevin Etten. It was released by Lionsgate and had its premiere at the 2022 South by Southwest conference.

Hollywood star Nicolas Cage (Nicolas Cage) is having trouble getting roles even with the help of his agent Richard Fink (Neil Patrick Harris). This has estranged him from his ex-wife Oliva (Sharon Horgan) and teen daughter Addy (Lily Sheen). He gets invited to a billionaire super fan Javi Gutierrez’s (Pedro Pascal) birthday party and goes, needing the cash. When he arrives, he is charmed by Javi and his lifestyle, but he is contacted by Vivian Etten (Tiffany Haddish) and Martin Etten (Ike Barinholtz) who tell him Javi is a cartel boss. Taking inspiration from his films, Nic Cage becomes a spy to stop Javi’s plan, but a possible movie screenplay may derail the operation.

Okay, where to begin with this movie?

First of all, it was everything that the trailers promised and more. Nic Cage plays himself with such self-awareness, but also exaggeration that I was blown away. He was hilarious in every moment and truly had no fear poking fun at himself. That is where most of the laughs come from, his witty banter discussing himself.

Likewise, the rest of the cast did excellently. Pedro Pascal was hilarious as Javi and his banter with Cage was top-notch. I also thought the rest of the cast did a good job with their roles as well, making it lots of fun.

As for the story, it was so bonkers. One moment, you thought the movie was going in one direction only for it to veer in a totally different path. Sure, the shifts did get a little jarring at times, but it maintained its charm and nuance as we saw the life of an actor who gets pulled into a federal investigation.

I doubt the humor will make everyone laugh, but if you have seen such great Nicolas Cage films like Face/Off, bizarre indies like Color out of Space, adventures like National Treasure, or just bonkers movies like Willy’s Wonderland, I think you will get most of the jokes. They could have gone overboard with all of the Easter eggs and, in a sense, they did. However, they were timed so perfectly, it ended up enriching the movie.

Bottom line, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a hilarious romp. It is weird, but that is the point. I applaud Nic Cage for being such a good sport because it was a good time.

FAVORITE QUOTE: Okay, I’m going to deal with all that. I’m going to get this next role. And when I do, all of that changes. Then, I’ll be back.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Comedic violence, Strong foul language, Drug abuse

Check out the trailer below:

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, or novel you would like me to review. While you are at it, check out my reviews of The Munsters and Exemplum. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more posts like this one.

Connect with me on social media. You can support StudioJake on Locals.