One of Nicolas Cage’s Best Films Was Actually a Box Office Bomb

Nicolas Cage is an actor well-known for his over-the-top screen persona. Some of his most memorable roles see him featuring as larger-than-life characterizations who now live in infamy as viral memes. That, along with his self-deprecating sense of humor, makes the actor uniquely suited to tackle a role that pokes good-natured fun at his storied screen career. Naturally, Cage is game for such an assignment and rose to the occasion when he toplined Tom Gormican’s meta buddy comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. The flick is a farcical romp that resonated with critics and made a lasting impression on the fans who saw it. Unfortunately, only a handful of Cage enthusiasts turned out to take in the picture when it played in theaters in 2022.

The film pulled in just over $29 million at the box office against a budget of $30 million. That admittedly modest showing, however, is no indication as to the quality of the picture itself, not by a long shot.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Is Peak Nicolas Cage, Yet It Remains Woefully Under-Seen

Thanks to a smart script co-written by director Gormican and Kevin Etten, and standout performances by Cage and a memorable supporting cast, this flick hits all the right notes. It’s playful, funny, action-packed, and often unpredictable. Cage’s status as being game for anything works to the film’s advantage at every turn. He never shies away from lampooning his over-the-top image or poking a bit of good-natured fun at his prolific output during the period when he was working to satisfy a sizable tax debt.

The film melds real life with Hollywood magic, positioning the beloved actor as a fictionalized version of himself (known here as Nick) in the midst of an existential crisis. Following a string of personal and professional disappointments, Nick accepts an offer to appear at super-fan Javi Gutiérrez’s (Pedro Pascal) birthday celebration. The pair ultimately develops an unlikely bond, which is tested when the CIA approaches Nick about informing on Javi as a suspected player in the arms trade.

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Cage and Pascal make for a charming pairing as they gradually realize how much they have in common and begin to bond in the most unexpected ways. There’s a surprisingly touching sequence within where Javi introduces Nick to Paddington 2. The scene serves as an unexpected point of connection for the pair and delivers decidedly comical results.

The leads have a screen dynamic that’s rife with buddy comedy tropes used to hilarious effect. We see them enthusiastically working together on a script and eventually engaging in real-life hijinks with childlike enthusiasm.

It’s not just the central dynamic between Pascal and Cage that resonates. The flick features standout showings from several supporting players as well. Tiffany Haddish is a delight as CIA Agent Vivian Etten. Critics praised the way she riffs on Cage’s over-the-top style while bringing her own unique brand of comedic energy to the proceedings.

Neil Patrick Harris is also in fine form as Nick’s agent, Richard Fink. Harris brings a cynical and self-absorbed quality to the character, who is deliberately scripted as a caricature of a Hollywood agent. Critics praised his comedic timing and razor-sharp delivery.

Seeing as The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent has all of that going for it, we’re surprised that this one didn’t make a bigger dent at the box office. Some of the film’s lack of financial success likely has to do with its release against the Robert Eggers picture The Northman. As Deadline previously posited, the two films are both geared toward men 18-34. Neither picture was an outright bomb, but the outlet gives us pause to wonder if each picture might have fared better if released on a weekend with less competition.

Don’t let the film’s meager box office returns fool you; The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is funny, heartfelt, and features a self-deprecating turn from Cage that few other actors could pull off. Not to mention, Pascal and the supporting cast are just as game and just as effective. If you’ve overlooked this one thus far, there’s no time like the present to fill in that blind spot.

If you subscribe to the Lionsgate-backed streaming service Moviesphere+, you can find The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent available as part of the platform’s lineup. Anyone without access to the streamer can rent or purchase the flick via Digital or physical media.