THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT (15)
A wise man once said, “Some things are true whether you believe in them or not.”
That modern philosopher was Nicolas Cage, sermonising on the fragility of life to a cynical Meg Ryan (playing a surgeon) in the 1998 metaphysical romance City Of Angels. The same Hollywood seer who thwarted a terrorist attack on Alcatraz in The Rock and revealed, “I love pressure. I eat it for breakfast!” then bullishly redefined the art of 1990s courtship in Face/Off by petitioning an air hostess, “If I were to let you suck my tongue, would you be grateful?”
Choice excerpts and memorabilia from the entire Nicolas Cage oeuvre (even the Golden Globe-nominated Guarding Tess) festoon Tom Gormican’s delightful black comedy, which invites the Californian star to play a fictionalised version of himself at manic full volume.
From its opening frames – a kidnapping orchestrated during a screening of Con Air – The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent is a love letter to the leading man and his indelible mark on popular culture in the 40 years since his big screen debut in Fast Times At Ridgemont High.
Cage has a blast poking fun at himself in a freewheeling script co-written by Gormican and Kevin Etten, which introduces a potty-mouthed voice of conscience called Nicky: a fresh-faced Wild At Heart-era incarnation of Cage that only the actor can see... and smooch during one memorably deranged pep talk.
The film’s exaggerated version of Nick Cage is a Hollywood star with the same resume, who is separated from his ex-wife Olivia (Sharon Horgan), a make-up artist on Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.
Unable to connect with his 16-year-old daughter Addy (Lily Sheen), Nick has been staying at the Sunset Tower hotel for over a year, racking up a bill of 600,000 dollars on top of existing debts.
When his agent Fink (Neil Patrick Harris) relays an offer of a million dollars to attend the lavish birthday party of billionaire super fan Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal), Nick reluctantly agrees. Javi made his fortune peddling olive oil but CIA agents Vivian (Tiffany Haddish) and Martin (Ike Barinholtz) suspect he is an international weapons dealer with ties to the recent abduction of a Catalonian presidential candidate’s daughter (Katrin Vankova).
When Vivian and Martin learn Nick is guest of honour at Javi’s celebrations in Mallorca, they pressgang the actor into the service of his country to spy on his host.
The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent is a trip – literally when Nick and Javi take a chaotic LSD-fuelled road trip to spark their creativity. Pascal catalyses an affectionate screen bromance with Cage, the two actors bouncing off each other smartly as the script contemplates the regrets of an artist, who worked to live, at the expense of personal relationships.
In Gone In 60 Seconds, Cage’s car thief bellows, “I’m a little tired, I’m little wired and I think I deserve a little appreciation!”
Gormican’s picture answers his cry, with scenery-chewing gusto.
7/10
PLAYGROUND (15)
Belgium’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards is a sobering portrait of childhood tribalism that pulls no punches in its unsettling depiction of the cruelty of those so-called wonder years.
Shot exclusively within the gates and corridors of an elementary school, director Laura Wandel’s naturalistic picture focuses intently on shy seven-year-old Nora (Maya Vanderbeque), a new arrival at the institution. Her older brother Abel (Gunter Duret) is a few grades above her and Nora witnesses some of the older boys bullying him without any form of retaliation.
Nora is shocked by the harassment and doesn’t understand why Abel is reluctant to involve their father, and surely put an end to his suffering. She becomes deeply conflicted by the best course of action to spare Abel his hellish and violent ordeal. 7/10
HAPPENING (15)
The divisive issue of abortion is deeply woven into the narrative threads of director Audrey Diwan’s hard-hitting drama, which she co-wrote with Marcia Romano.
Adapted from Annie Ernaux’s autobiographical novel, Happening unfolds in 1963 rural France – a time of rigid morality when women would be shamed for embracing their sexuality and strict laws prohibited an unwed mother from terminating the pregnancy.
College student Annie (Amamaria Vartolomei) enjoys a dalliance with a visiting student (Julien Frison) and is horrified a few weeks later to discover that she is expecting his child. Unable to disclose the truth to her mother (Sandrine Bonnaire) or dormitory sisters Brigitte (Louise Orry-Diquero) and Helene (Luana Bajrami), Annie seeks guidance from doctors (Fabrizio Rongione, Francois Loriquet) and even one of her classmates, Jean (Kacey Mottet Klein).
Unfortunately, there is no easy solution and Annie soldiers on alone. As her grades suffer and dreams of becoming a teacher evaporate, Annie faces the prospect of single motherhood and disappointing her professor (Pio Marmai).
6/10
FIREBIRD (15, 107 mins)
Released: April 22 (UK & Ireland, selected cinemas)
Based on the memoir of Sergey Fetisov, Firebird explores forbidden love in the Soviet Union at a time when homosexuality was criminalised and same-sex relationships had to be conducted in the shadows.
Private Sergey Serebrennikov (Tom Prior) serves with distinction under Colonel Kuznetsov (Nicholas Woodeson) at Haapsalu Air Force base in 1977 Estonia.
He is dating a typist called Luisa (Diana Pozharskaya) and there are expectations the couple will marry.
With a bright future ahead of him in the air force, Sergey should feel content but something is amiss and he harbours secret ambitions to study drama in Moscow.
The arrival of dashing flight lieutenant Roman Matvejev (Oleg Zagorodnii) exposes that missing chink of happiness for Sergey as desire flourishes between the two men.
Unable to conduct the romance in public, Sergey and Roman meet in secret and the soldier pursues a sham marriage to clueless Luisa as the perfect cover.
JERSEY (PG, 170 mins)
Released: April 22 (UK & Ireland, selected cinemas)
Gowtam Tinnanuri writes and directs a Hindi-language remake of his own 2019 Telugu sports drama, which chronicles trouble and strife on and off the cricket field.
Originally scheduled for release in December 2021, Jersey centres on Arjun Talwar (Shahid Kapoor), who is repeatedly denied the chance to play in the Indian cricket team.
He eventually walks away from the sport to start a family with wife Vidya (Mrunal Thakur).
Their young son Karan (Ronit Kamra) loves to play cricket and asks his father for an expensive Indian jersey.
Despite severe money troubles, Arjun solemnly promises his boy that he will get him the coveted apparel.
Consequently, the father comes out of retirement to pursue sporting glory late in life, challenging for a place on the team against younger and fitter players.
NORTHERN BALLET: MERLIN (U, 130 mins)
Released: April 24 (UK & Ireland, selected cinemas)
Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie directs and choreographs a magical dance drama inspired by the wizard popularised in Arthurian legend.
His first full-length ballet for acclaimed Leeds-based dance company Northern Ballet was filmed in November 2021 by director Ross MacGibbon on the stage of Leeds Grand Theatre in front of a live audience.
Merlin melds classical ballet and contemporary storytelling to original music composed by Grant Olding, played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia.
Two mighty gods produce a magical heir, Merlin (Kevin Poeung), who falls to Earth and is adopted as a baby by a kindly blacksmith (Minju Kang).
When Merlin reaches the age of 18, the blacksmith proudly presents his son with a magnificent, hand-fashioned sword Excalibur.
Merlin’s disappointment is visible and drives a wedge between father and son.
They are soon parted when Merlin enlists in the army of the Solar Kingdom in the hope of impressing Senior General Morgan (Antoinette Brooks-Daw).
Alas, her heart belongs to Uther (Lorenzo Trosello), son of ruler Vortigern (Javier Torres).
The production contains short periods of flashing and strobe lighting effects.
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