The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

What's it about?

Nicolas Cage stars as Nicolas Cage in this self-aware comedy-action film about Nicolas Cage. He’s a cash-strapped actor who agrees to attend a super-fan’s birthday party in Spain. Things get out of hand when the CIA recruit Cage to spy on the host.

Why did it get this rating?

Violence

The film contains several scenes of over-the-top action film violence, which is very similar to well-known Nicolas Cage action films. There is hand-to-hand combat, high speed car chases and gun shots. The violence always has a comedic edge with Cage out of his depth and drawing on his acting experience to get him through. Party host Javi (played by Pedro Pascal) mentions several times that Cage did his own stunt driving for films such as Gone in Sixty Seconds. This self-aware tone reminds the audience that they are watching a film, therefore reducing the sense of threat.

Offensive language

There is frequent strong language used throughout the film. Swear words are used in casual conversation for emphasis and as expressions of distress. The tone overall tends to be humorous. For example there are several times during the film when Cage psychs himself up by saying “You’re Nic motherf**king Cage!” This kind of use of language is likely to influence younger viewers and encourage them to use the words as well.

Drug use

Drugs are used for comedic effect, and there are scenes where characters smoke marijuana (which is legal in some US states). Cage and Javi take LSD to get inspiration for the film they are writing together. They are seen driving while hallucinating and their euphoric expressions could make the drug look appealing.

Sexual References

There are brief comic references to sex which are verbal rather than seen on screen. In one scene Cage’s agent worries during a phone conversation that Javi may want him to do something sexual as part of his payment, going into briefly explicit detail.