Should You Watch the Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent?

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent sees Nicholas Cage as Nicholas Cage — an actor, who after years of unfulfilled promise and facing financial ruin, accepts a $1 million offer to attend a wealthy fan’s birthday party.

Things take a wildly unexpected turn when the CIA recruits Cage to do undercover work investigating his number one fan. He soon finds himself in a life-or-death role, trying to save himself and his loved ones.

And who does he turn to? Himself.

It’s a comedic take on Nicholas Cage’s over-the-top performance, in what is probably his most over-the-top show. It sounds like a good time, but should you watch The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent?

Things take a wildly unexpected turn when a CIA operative recruits Cage for an unusual mission. Taking on the role of a lifetime, he soon finds himself channeling his most iconic and beloved characters to save himself and his loved ones. So should you watch the Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent?

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent cast

Nicholas Cage as Nicholas Cage

I’m not even remotely a Nicholas Cage superfan (or even really a fan) but this performance was fantastic. It was fun, weird, and very Nicholas Cage role that I thoroughly enjoyed watching. Perhaps what I enjoyed best is that not only did he play the “normal” version of himself, he also played versions of passed characters that help him along his journey.

Pedro Pascal as Javi Gutiérrez

Javi Gutiérrez, played by the talented (and adorable) Pedro Pascal, is the classic super-fan that most movie-goers can related to. Only, he’s got enough cash to invite his movie star hero to his birthday. Pascal’s performance is fun, quirky, and probably (definitely) my favorite character.

Other characters

The film also features:

• Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz as CIA agents
• Sharon Horgan as Olivia, Cage’s wife
• Lily Sheen as Addy, Cage’s daugher
• Neil Patrick Harris as Cage’s manager
• Paco León as Javi’s “cousin”
• Alessandra Mastronardi as Javi’s assitant

So, should you watch The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

If you’re a fan of Cage, this film is a must-watch.

I wouldn’t classify myself as a fan and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

I will say the first few minutes were a tad bit confusing, and some of the storyline feels a bit out of place, but overall the film is hilarious.

I would have liked to see a little more of Cage interacting with… well, himself. It happened so infrequently, that it didn’t quite carry the weight it should.

That said, as far as “roles of a lifetime” go, this is my top one for Cage. Who doesn’t want to play an over-the-top version of themself — the real question is how over the top is it really?

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The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent FAQs

Where was The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent filmed?

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent was filmed in a few different places, including:

• Dubrovnik
• Los Angeles, CA (including at the Sunset Tower Hotel)
• Budapest
• Chateau Marmont

When was The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent filmed?

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent was filmed during the pandemic. Filming started in October 2020.

How much did it cost to make Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent?

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent had a budget of $30-million, which is just over what it ended up making in the box office ($28.7-million).