Review: 'Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent' gives Nicolas Cage his greatest role — a version of himself — but doesn't provide everything the movie needs

If ever there was a movie star deserving of a meta-analysis of his work, under the cover of a movie that is both an embodiment and parody of that star’s traits, it’s Nicolas Cage — which is why “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” feels, at times, like a missed opportunity that only sometimes hits on the mysterious force that makes Cage who he is.

Cage stars as Nick Cage, a somewhat fictionalized version of himself — one that’s more his screen persona than what he claims is his real life. The Nick Cage of this movie is hyper-focused on acting and his career, so much so that he intimidates a director for whom he’s auditioning, and tends to irritate his ex-wife, Olivia (Sharon Horgan), and mortify his teen daughter, Addy (Lily Sheen).

Nick is also strapped for cash, so he says yes when his agent, Richard (Neil Patrick Harris), tells him he can earn a quick $1 million by attending a billionaire’s birthday celebration in Mallorca. The billionaire, Javi (Pedro Pascal), is Cage’s biggest fan — his favorite movie is “Face/Off” — and has written a screenplay for Nick to produce and star in.

Nick isn’t in Mallorca long when he’s hustled into a panel truck by a couple of U.S. intelligence agents, Vivian (Tiffany Haddish) and Martin (Ike Barinholtz). They tell Nick that Javi’s wealth is from his work as an international drug cartel — and that Javi and his goons are trying to leverage the upcoming Spanish election by kidnapping the daughter of a presidential candidate. Vivian asks Nick to work undercover to find the hostage and take down the operation, getting close to Javi by developing his screenplay with him.

Director Tom Gormican uses this development to deconstruct the script he and Kevin Etten as we’re watching it — as Nick and Javi discuss the story’s evolution from character-driven drama to action-heavy crowd-pleaser.  One wishes the movie we were watching could move more smoothly from one style to another, showing us the shift rather than telling us it’s happening.

Where there are holes in Gormican’s story, the cast does a good job of rolling past them. Pascal, who looks like a Chilean version of Liam Neeson, is particularly charming as he shows strong comic chops to go along with his action credentials (“The Mandalorian,” “Wonder Woman 1984”).

But “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is Nicolas Cage’s show, and he knows it. Playing the slightly puffy movie star in decline, or a CGI-created younger self who serves as the devil on his shoulder, Cage shows he gets the joke by transcending it. To borrow a running joke between Cage and Fink, the movie confirms that Cage is back — not that he ever went anywhere.

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‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’

★★★

Opens Friday, April 22, in theaters. Rated R for language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and violence. Running time: 107 minutes.