7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.6 |
A cash-strapped Nic Cage agrees to make a paid appearance at a billionaire super fan's birthday party, but soon takes on the role of an action hero when things get dangerous at the event.
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Tiffany Haddish, Sharon Horgan, Paco LeónThriller | Uncertain |
Comedy | Uncertain |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Despite evidently not knowing how to spell his last name correctly*, Charlie Kaufman has written some of the most intelligent and audaciously
"meta" screenplays
in
recent,
and maybe more than merely recent, memory. Chief among the "meta" offerings would probably be Adaptation., though for purposes of this review it might be best to concentrate on Being John Malkovich, Kaufman's daffy exploration of
the psyche and persona of the quirky title "character". I kept hoping The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent might reach Kaufman's
admittedly exaggerated heights of layers of reality and fiction, but despite a couple of game attempts, the film never quite gets there.
That's not to say that there's not a lot to enjoy in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, including Nicolas Cage (playing "Nick Cage")
(verbally) sparring with his younger self courtesy of some cheeky CGI. In my recent Vampire's Kiss Blu-ray review, I perhaps unsurprisingly mentioned that even diehard fans of
Cage might not argue too vociferously if confronted with the opinion that Cage can be not particularly subtle in his performance style at
times (like, consistently?), but The Unbearable
Weight of Massive Talent shows Cage must have a sense of humor about himself, though the screenplay by Tom Gormican (who also
directed) and Kevin Etten may frankly not fully exploit that inherent asset. That said, the writing's often funny homages to Cage and his
filmography
are
obviously heartfelt, and Cage is, well, nuanced in an obviously fictionalized version of himself that nonetheless requires him to depict
certain behavioral foibles which might be termed a "warts and all" approach that less brave (or foolhardy) actors might not even want to attempt.
*Welcome to the Kauf(f)man sense of humor, ladies and germs.
Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with a 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. The IMDb lists
some Arri Alexa models and a 4K DI as relevant data points. This 4K UHD presentation takes an already excellent 1080 version and noticeably ups the
ante with regard to some palette highlights in particular and some subtle but still interesting fine detail levels in general. The palette retains the same
warmth as the
1080 version but there are some evocative almost golden yellow highlights in the Mallorca sequences in particular that I found more nuanced looking
than in
the 1080 version. The same gorgeous teal waters that are on display in the 1080 version look at least as vivid here, and "little" visual things like the
glints of light off of the wave caps also arguably sparkes a bit more here. Fine detail is at least marginally improved, to the point that I'm not sure the
admittedly pretty amazing looking makeup on Cage as "Sergio" doesn't end up showing some of its "seams" under the glare of the increased resolution.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent features a Dolby Atmos track that has some standout moments but is perhaps inherently constrained by the fact that this isn't a nonstop array of set pieces designed to provide showy audio. The first part of the film is in fact pretty tamped down even in terms of "traditional" surround activity, though there are certainly noticeable ambient environmental effects populating the side and rear channels. Things tend to only spring into both vertical and horizontal action once a kidnapping plot enters the fray and Cage is forced to become his own Last Action Hero (so to speak). Mark Isham contributes a typically well wrought score that also suffuses the surround channels. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English, French and Spanish subtitles are available.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is not the "career suicide" one of its co-creators confesses friends told him it would be when he pitched it to them, and in fact it's often a lot of fun, and should be virtually unmissable for any real diehard fan of Cage. But there are aspects here that seem ill suited to clash up against each other, giving the film a kind of weird, if perhaps appropriate, dissociative quality. Technical merits are first rate, and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.
2022
2022
2022
Limited Edition Gift Set with T-Shirt
2022
2022
2007
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1976
Warner Archive Collection
1959
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Limited Edition to 3000
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1942
2014
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1934
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