[SXSW 2022]: ‘THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT’ IS A FUN BUT MOSTLY FLEETING FILM

Everyone has personas. Maybe it’s not as obvious or stark contrast as Peter Parker and Spider-Man, but people constantly change their demeanors, wardrobe, speech, and more to fit into certain circumstances and be the version of You that is appropriate for the situation: Employee You, Coworker You, Parent You, College Friend You, Sibling You, etc. It’s not a question of authenticity, but instead reflects social customs, expectations, and requirements all of which speak to the complexity of people and their personalities. One of the most obvious examples of this rich tapestry of selves?

Nicolas Motherfucking Cage (pretty sure his legal middle name is ‘Motherfucking’).

The dude’s name is already a pseudonym culled from comic books to avoid connection to one of the largest and most influential families in American cinema. That’s two personas right off the bat. But the real sign of the actor’s many layers of identity can best be seen in his work. Since 1981, Cage has acted in about 106 movies. Starting around 2007, he would appear in a large number (for most actors outside of the adult film industry) of titles per year—usually around five or six (which is roughly a new Nic Cage movie coming out every other month for a decade). While this is, at the bare minimum, influenced by his well-publicized financial troubles (filing for bankruptcy in 2009 due to poor investments and overspending), the result has led to a diminishment of his statuses as both a blockbuster headliner, famous for CON-AIR and FACE/OFF, or the gifted thespian of LEAVING LAS VEGAS or ADAPTATION (again, two more personas torn between the populist and artist). However, as opposed to similar actors who are also posting high numbers of releases a year (usually via “Geezer Teasers”, movies that capitalize on the marquee name but barely utilize the performer associated with it), Cage always commits to his roles and finds intriguing nuances in them that range from the subtle to the…PRISONERS OF GHOSTLAND. Amidst the large DTV distributed movies, Cage has maintained an air of earnestness that, while eccentric, also appears genuine.

Shortly after this uptick in output also came the rise of Nicolas Cage: The Meme™, the king of animated GIFs and short clips of bizarre moments in a diverse filmography. Ironically or not, large swaths of audiences clamored for his weirdness and singular outsized performances like if Tommy Wiseau was Brundleflied with James Dean. While he has returned (not that he went anywhere) to more character-driven pieces like his work with Paul Schrader, last year’s PIG, or even MANDY (which, with apologies to this website, isn’t a “meme” but a powerful meditation on the rage that accompanies death and sobriety), that Internet-born cult status still surrounds him to make him both a formidable variable who will deliver unexpected performances and also a bit of a punchline to many. Over 40 years and over 100 characters, he has amassed a massive amount of personas that are occasionally oppositional yet all different patches in the quilt that is Nicolas Cage.

And all of that is addressed, in some form or another, in THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT. Tom Gormican, who directed and co-wrote (with Kevin Etten), has managed to distill many of these aspects of Cage’s professional and publicized life into a fun and fine action-comedy that has true moments of soul poking up in a sea of references and self-aware indulgences. Nicolas Cage plays himself (or, rather, “himself”), an eccentric actor who is a massive celebrity, an absentee father, a terrible financier, and a cult figure who is beloved by millions. To make some money to appease his agent (Neil Patrick Harris) and hopefully help bridge divides with his daughter (Lily Sheen) and ex-wife (Sharon Horgan), Cage goes to Spain as the birthday guest of Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal), one of those millions of Cage admirers but can also afford to hire his icon to appear at a party on his compound. Unfortunately, it appears that Javi finances his lavish lifestyle through a bunch of international criminal activities—at least according to two CIA agents (Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz) who rope Cage into helping them investigate the Spanish fanboy and thwart his attempt to destabilize a nation.

UNBEARABLE WEIGHT is a quirkier and more joyous version of 2008’s JCVD injected with a small amount of the oblivious celebrity roped into high-stakes international espionage of 2014’s THE INTERVIEW. There is a veritable avalanche of direct references to other Cage movies that heavily plays into the memetic aspect of the actor, using the quotes and imagery that have become foundational components of every video and social media platform on the web. Once in Mallorca, leading a double life as the recipient of fawning praise and an outsourced spy, Cage’s antics increase with Javi as they take drugs, indulge in action movie-esque antics, explore filmmaking, and discuss the brilliance of Cage himself. Pascal and Cage are an incredible duo who have palpable chemistry that propels much of the comedy and heart of UNBEARABLE WEIGHT. When Pascal looks at his screen partner, his eyes radiate a sense of genuine love for the man/myth/legend that endears him to the audience while helping them to see Cage in a similar light. (During the Q&A, it was revealed that Pascal is a massive fan of Nicolas Cage and was incredibly well-versed in the actor’s filmography even before taking the role)

Unfortunately, the action doesn’t really work all that well (and dominates the last third of the movie). It’s meant to invoke the operatic fights and frenetic chases of Cage’s blockbusters albeit through a comedic and self-aware lens. They are fine in the moment, but mostly evaporate from the mind before the sequences are even over. This also undercuts any of the dramatic tension of the espionage plotline, as no deaths feel consequential, and no real sense of danger is ever achieved. Similarly, leaning into the references of Cage’s work is also pleasant enough in the scene, but soon feels like too much smirking. Even though the actor and filmmakers seemingly went into this not seeking to make Cage a mockery, there is a bit too much winking of “we know that YOU know what this is” that isn’t exactly fan service but certainly feels like an attempt to promote a sense of simpatico between UNBEARABLE WEIGHT and the average filmgoer. The fact is, if the movie were about a fictional character who is a famous actor (like GALAXY QUEST or TROPIC THUNDER, or THE INTERVIEW), the plot would be obvious and the egotistical jokes would feel basic; all of it is only given any sort of…well, weight because it’s an actual movie star that viewers all know.

But amidst the fluff and bombast, there is something genuine happening which is apt for most Cage films that produce some unexpected element of sincerity and complexity. Nic Cage the character reflects the very odd dichotomy of Nic Cage the person. This is a person with a massive filmography that’s produced huge profits and major awards and who has never stopped working on high profile titles since he began…and yet there is a sense that he has somehow fallen from the heights he once soared. It’s probable this is due to the high output, which is addressed in UNBEARABLE WEIGHT, and that Cage never gives people a chance to “miss him” and yet the actor is constantly looking for a comeback. Comeback from what or where is ephemeral because, again, he really hasn’t gone away with contemporary work in would-be cult movies (COLOR OUT OF SPACE), prestige pictures (DOG EAT DOG), and blockbusters (SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE). But that feeling of diminishment of his star wattage feels accurate and seeps into UNBEARABLE WEIGHT in one of the best aspects of the movie—where Cage is haunted and visited by a 1990 version of himself full of ego and ravenous appetite for success. Nicky, as he is called, at once builds up the actor while also bullying him to be more demanding and indulgent. It’s a genius bit of comedy that results in hilarious moments, but also explores some real emotions. And not just for Cage but for everyone who reflects on where they once envisioned they’d be and where they actually are now.

There is a (probably apocryphal) story about a Parisian art museum whose advancing years wore heavily on the construction. Materials and structure for the building were never meant to last so long and certainly not meant to entertain so many crowds, so it begins to fall apart. But visitors know it is falling apart so they flock to see it before it is remodeled and rebuilt, so the size of the crowds increases. What is drawing people to the place is the very thing that is destroying it. Similarly, THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT draws people in with Nic Cage going H.A.M. in his most outsized way while steering into the memes and punchlines made about him constantly, all while referencing the movies that they’ll know and love. But those elements are too self-aware (yet also not over-the-top enough) to sustain a film, and the core attraction ends up getting in the way of much better possibilities. Make no mistake—there are fun sequences, good jokes, great performances from Cage and Pascal. UNBEARABLE WEIGHT will make for an enjoyable night…but it won’t really stick with folks for long after. And yet, even with that transient element at play, there are genuine moments of sincere reflection on identity. Cage beholding all these past selves and faces he’s put on, finds a prolific artist grappling with a sense of self amidst a lifetime of adopting a sea of personas on and off the screen.

 

 

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Rob Dean
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