Although no one tells him, Nicolas Cage is no longer the same as before. And the American actor knows it. Maybe that’s why when one day his agent, Richard Fink (Neil Patrick Harris), tells him that one of his fans is willing to pay a million dollars for him to visit him during a party at his estate in Spain, this –although he first rejects him outright (“Make them laugh like he’s a trained seal?”)—finally agrees.
Securing the presence of celebrities at a millionaire’s party in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars is nothing out of the ordinary. They did it from Pablo Escobar in the eighties, to Arab or Asian tycoons today. This particular ‘car gift’ is the fact with which it starts”The unbearable weight of immense talent”, the latest Tom Gormican movie that has Nicolas Cage playing himself.
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The film, which can be categorized into a thousand possible genres (comedy, drama, action and even thriller), was originally released in theaters in the United States and some other countries between March and April of this year, but only thanks to Amazon Prime Video will it have the possibility of reaching the last corner of the world. It is a tape with a duration inversely proportional to the length of its title: only an hour and a half.
For those who have Nicolas Cage in their memory, remembering some of his films is not a difficult task. Tapes like “The Lord of War”, “Family Man”, “Ghost Rider” and “Contracara” only confirm his versatility as his main talent on his stage. And although beyond the fact that in recent years he has not had great appearances, denying him recognition would be clearly unfair.
It is precisely this recognition that seems to be Nick Cage’s ‘Kryptonite’, as our protagonist calls himself. “The unbearable weight of immense talent” begins precisely when the actor tries at all costs to convince a famous director to give him an upcoming role in a movie project. Of course this request will be rejected, and under pressure from the agent (“divorce, buying habits, and…and…and…”) he will have no choice but to pack his bags and leave for Mallorca.
Before talking about Cage’s stay on the Spanish coast, it is worth saying that the share of drama in this film comes from the hand of an artist who has spent much of his life in the spotlight. Along these lines, his (almost ex) wife Olivia (Sharon Horgan) can’t stand him anymore. Something almost similar happens with her daughter Addy (Lily Mo Sheen), who has no qualms about recriminating her father – family therapist next door – who only thinks of himself.
But Nick Cage is not a bad guy who only thinks about making money acting in leading roles in the changing ‘Hollywood’ industry. The plot of “the unbearable weight…” he has him as a weak guy, almost a victim of his own ego, who fights with his imaginary selves (and makes them get out of the car when they only disagree) and then ends up kissing them passionately. In itself, we are facing an unbeatable portrait of the consequences of the terrible overexposure of a divo.
Going back to the movie. Cage arrives in Mallorca and meets Javi (Pedro Pascal), the wealthy Spaniard who has contributed a million dollars to his bank account just to share it with friends and family. If the relationship starts off cool, it slowly loosens up as our protagonist discovers – with equal mix of horror and charm – that his host knows him better than he knows himself. It is because of this “admiration” of the millionaire for the actor who has become “one more in Hollywood” that the former seeks to entrust him with “his first movie script” so that he can read, evaluate and approve it.
In the midst of all this, the police element arises, perhaps the weakest if we are talking about the plot. Special forces of the American Government seek to arrest Javi, whom they accuse of leading an international arms cartel. He is even accused of kidnapping an innocent woman. What will they do to accomplish his task? Convert Nick Cage – in the middle of his adventure in Mallorca – into a kind of informant, who in reality little by little becomes a hook to find the obscure Spanish millionaire.
When Nick Cage accepts the proposal of the undercover agents, another movie begins. Get ready then for a fascinating journey through some of the most typical scenes of action movies: traveling at full speed aboard a Jeep, climbing “huge” walls and seeing how your partner ‘falls’ slowly, or jumping off a cliff, will be –under the surprising duo that make up Cage and Pascal—a delight for those who love old movies.
We had said that inThe unbearable weight of immense talent” Nick Cage constantly fights against his other selves. It is precisely when faced with one of these –the most cynical and unfortunate of all– that our protagonist discovers that he is not alone in the world. That almost divine ‘revelation’ gives her the strength to risk his life and save his loved ones. Here comes the image of the divo who, stripped of the robe that gives him fame, is not afraid of losing everything to protect Olivia and Addy. The circle, then, closes as in the most conventional of feature films.
If what we have described and commented on this film has nothing particularly extraordinary, what makes it “The unbearable weight of immense talent” such a pleasant experience? The answer is his ability to show us, from the parody trench, all the layers of an artist who has been the most versatile companion of a generation.
THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF IMMENSE TALENT/ FIRST VIDEO
Synopsis: A penniless actor agrees to appear at the birthday party of a billionaire fanatic, a drug lord who recently kidnapped the daughter of a presidential candidate. The CIA recruits him for information.
Director: Tom Gormican
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Tiffany Haddish
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