Weekend Watch: The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, Better Call Saul: Season 6

Nicholas Cage is... Nick Cage and Bob Odenkirk is back as Jimmy McG... Sorry, Saul Goodman.

Image Credit: Lionsgate

Welcome to the latest edition of Weekend Watch, in which I recommend (or occasionally warn against) movies or TV shows I’ve been checking out. This week, Nicolas Cage goes meta, and Bob Odenkirk breaks bad even further. Follow James on Twitter: @jamwhite

It’s not every actor who would agree to star in a meta comedy that makes fun of their eccentricities, but then not every actor is Nicolas Cage. He’s had a fascinating career that has veered between Oscar success and blockbuster action and plunged to the depths of straight-to-video schlock (none of which he regrets) while still locking down excellent recent performances in the likes of last year’s Pig.

So, when director Tom Gormican approached him with the idea of The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, which explores, celebrates and satirises Cage’s on-screen work and his legendary off-screen persona, the actor, while initially concerned about the concept, jumped in with both feet. And the result is a delightful, goofy and charming comedy.

The basic concept behind the movie is that Cage, playing a version of himself, is depressed, creatively unfulfilled and in financial dire straits. Prompted by his agent (played by Neil Patrick Harris), he accepts an offer from a billionaire (Pedro Pascal’s Javi) to attend his birthday party. Though Cage is initially, well, cagey about hanging out with the enthusiastic fan, the pair soon bonds over their shared love of one thing: Nic Cage and his oeuvre.

But there’s a catch – turns out Javi is a dangerous arms dealer, and under CIA surveillance because he’s apparently kidnapped the daughter of a presidential candidate to influence the outcome of an election.

Cage is intercepted by agents Vivian (Tiffany Haddish) and Martin (Ike Barinholtz), who want the actor to snoop around Javi’s palatial island compound. Mostly what Cage discovers is Javi’s collection of props from his movies, including a wax facsimile of the actor’s Face/Off character.

Predictably, Cage throws himself into the role he was literally born to play and is hilarious at times, and heartfelt at others. And there’s another side to him that I really won’t spoil here - you have to see it for yourself. Pascal, meanwhile, is jubilant and dedicated, clearly relishing the chance to show off his comedy side after a couple of years in the Mandalorian’s suit.

Outside of the central pair, there are a few quality supporting performances. Sharon Horgan is likeably frustrated as Cage’s ex, Olivia, while Lily Sheen plays their daughter, Addy. The two women never fall into that tired old trope of nagging relations, and while their screen time is relatively limited, they become a key part of the story later. Haddish and Barinholtz are reliably funny as the CIA agents who recruit Cage to their mission.

Helpfully, Massive Talent isn’t a one-joke affair, refusing to batter you over the head with constant references to Cage’s oddball style. There’s plenty of that, but Gormican and co-writer Kevin Etten mine plenty of material from the idea of celebrity weirdness and superfans, bolting that onto a twisty crime thriller while also exploring all the various characters.

If you’re a Cage superfan, you’ll have a blast. But even if not, this is one of the most enjoyable movies of the year so far.

The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent is in US and UK cinemas today.

Image Credit: AMC

The last time we saw Bob Odenkirk’s Jimmy McGill was two long years ago. Since then, because of the pandemic (and a nasty heart attack suffered by Odenkirk), we’ve had to wait patiently while the team laboured on Season 6 of one of the best shows on TV.

With all that additional pressure, does Better Call Saul live up to those expectations? Most definitely, yes. Odenkirk’s McGill – and his slow, steady evolution into sleazy (sleazier?) super-lawyer Saul Goodman – is easily one of the most compelling characters and story arcs on screen right now and the creative team continue to find interesting ways to explore it.

Rhea Seehorn’s Kim Wexler, meanwhile, is right there with him. Seehorn has been unfairly overlooked for awards, and her portrayal of Wexler is just as complicated and nuanced as her co-star. We’ve watched in horror as the endlessly honourable (yet also damaged) character was drawn into Jimmy/Saul’s orbit and Kim’s shift towards the dark side continues here.

While Jimmy’s story and his legal schemes are naturally the focus, the show also wraps the story of competing drug cartels around it, as Giancarlo Esposito’s “Chicken Man” Gus Fring continues his attempts to dominate the trade. Then we have Michael Mando’s Nacho Varga, who escaped a massacre at the Salamanca residence and is now on the run.

Running between the worlds is Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), the grumpy fixer who never met a scowl he couldn’t deepen.

The entire cast is superb, and the show also maintains its sheer composure – like Breaking Bad before it, this is a distinctive, stylish show that never screams about its style. The visual compositions are deliberate and considered, and it mixes comedy and drama without them ever feeling forced together.

As this is the final season, this isn’t the place to dive in if you’ve never seen the show before, but binging the previous seasons is a joy you have awaiting you. Everyone else? Welcome back to this world and let’s all be grateful for the episodes we have left.

Better Call Saul is airing episodes weekly on AMC Mondays in the US and Tuesdays via Netflix in the UK.