Nicolas Cage, or as we affectionately call him, Nic Cage, made his acting debut in 1981. He’s been all over the genre map, putting a unique spin on every role. But there’s one film that captures the essence of his long career: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
In The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Cage does something radical: he plays himself. He gets hired to reenact his former on-screen characters at a private gig. But the “role of a lifetime” takes a wildly unexpected turn and soon he finds himself mixed up in a risky adventure.
What makes the movie stand out is that it weaves in aspects of his real-life struggles, including his financial troubles and low points in his career. The plot is unique, with a few fun cameos and a heartfelt ending.
The film features a solid cast, including Pedro Pascal and Tiffany Haddish. Pascal, a hugely popular and versatile actor, plays a Nic Cage superfan who ends up befriending Cage and taking him on a wild adventure.
Haddish, known for comedy, plays a CIA agent. Neil Patrick Harris appears as Cage’s agent, Richard Fink. Lily Sheen plays Cage’s daughter and also happens to be the real life daughter of Kate Beckinsale and Michael Sheen.
The film was directed by Tom Gormican, who took on the project with the intent to pay tribute to Cage’s long-spanning career while telling an original story. The film was shot in and around various parts of Croatia but mostly, in the stunning city of Dubrovnik.
A Nod to Cage’s Past and Present Works
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent pays homage to some of Cage’s most famous roles, such as in Raising Arizona and National Treasure. Various scenes from his previous films are also weaved in throughout the movie, making it nostalgic for long-time Nic Cage fans.
The Viral Meme from The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
In an unforgettable scene, Cage and Pascal find themselves in the midst of an acid trip during a wild and hilarious road trip. A still shot from this sequence unexpectedly catapulted into meme-dom, becoming a viral sensation on social media.
The image, capturing the actors’ hilariously distorted expressions quickly spread. The meme’s popularity soared, bolstered by the absurdity of the image that was ripe for adding original text via memes.
Captioned with relatable scenarios or even mild panic, the meme went viral across various platforms, like Twitter, Instagram and Reddit. The viral spread of the meme, in turn, contributed to the film’s rising popularity. That’s the power of a good meme, and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent delivered just that!.