The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

Banking on his real-life reputation, Nicolas Cage plays a version of himself, an aging struggling actor and divorced father who is so desperate for a paycheck that he agrees to a vague invitation to be a paid celebrity guest to billionaire Pedro Pascal. Unexpectedly, he finds himself in the middle of a drug cartel’s power struggle and he must use skills learned during some of his most iconic roles to survive. I love actors who are willing to poke fun at their public perception and this is wonderfully entertaining because of it. The scenes with Cage and Pascal are delightful as Nick’s apprehension gradually builds to friendship and affection for this unknown entity.