SXSW Movie Review – ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is the most fun you’re going to have in a darkened room full of complete strangers this year. Academy Award-winner Nicolas Cage stars in this action-comedy that premiered at the SXSW Film Festival tracks last March.

Nic Cage is my second favorite action film actor. Probably yours too, right? I’ve always gravitated for the action dudes who don’t typically fit the bill of great big muscles and testosterone, and, well, Cage falls into this category. If you were wondering, Kurt Russell is my numero uno. That lack of sweaty brawn never stopped Cage from filling the screen and recruiting legions of die-hard fans. Unbearable Weight is this sort-of love letter to those longtime supporters.

The premise is simple. Nic stars as a somewhat real-life narcissistic version of himself, one most onlookers would describe as barrelling toward the twilight of his career. The draw here is, of course, Nic paying homage to his portfolio of over-the-top characters. This proposition could have veered into campy, but writer-director Tom Gormican keeps the train on its tracks. He and co-writer Kevin Etten hid easter eggs within the script that will delight fans, primarily when Cage manifests past incarnations.

As for the plot setup, these days, the actor accepts appearance fees to make ends meet in lieu of those massive blockbuster paydays. His manager (Neil Patrick Harris) finds him a big fish in that of ruthless drug trafficker and BIG TIME Cage fan Javi, played by Pedro Pascal. The (Mandalorian) actor is a bigtime Cage fan, like, for real, and he plays so well with his co-star. I could watch an entire TV series based on these two guys traveling the country in a jeep, bullshitting about their lustrious careers. But I digress.

Tiffany Haddish plays a CIA agent who recruits Cage to spy on Javi. Haddish is okay. She’s not given much to work with, and that’s my unexpected gripe about the film. Cage and Pascal are so good together that everyone else doesn’t even matter. Some family moments and messages get tossed in, but it too takes a back seat.

Self-aware, adorable, and so so funny. I can’t think of a better afternoon than joining your fellow moviegoers in this exclamation point of pure, uncut Nicolas fucking Cage.