He spoils this film with his weird over the top performance. He may be hidden under a layer of prosthetics, but he cannot resist giving a Full Nick Cage. Restraint is not his thing. Thankfully, his role is kept to a minimum.
shareYeah I felt that way about him too. He's entertaining and it's a fun performance but it flies in the face of what's trying to be a serious and unnerving movie. I find it impossible to find him creepy or disturbing, which weakens the whole thing.
shareI'm a huge Cage fan and felt the same. His cage freak out moments were more funny than creepy to me so it just killed the tension. He should have dialed it back a bit.
shareI’m a big Cage fan and I thought he was perfect casting, the character is deranged and Cage delivers with minimal screen time.
If you want to see a great but restrained Nic Cage performance then watch Pig.
Agreed and agreed, Cage was sensational in Longlegs, also, as it relates to a restrained Nic Cage, have you seen the film, Joe (2013)?
A strong 7 out of 10 for me, a damn fine film and excellent performances all around!
"Restraint is not his thing."
I recommend you try watching 'Pig' (Sarnoski, 2021), or Red Rock West (Dahl 1993) and see if you still feel the same way.
Pig is his best movie. The movie is good and he is good in it. A very novel film that has so much to offer. And it’s recent. Red Rock West is a great noir film and very similar to U-Turn.
share'Pig' is a very good film indeed, and Sarnoski's first film at that! Except that tone-deaf fight club sequence that feels tacked on and very jarring compared tot he overall feeling and pace of the film.
I think Leaving 'Las Vegas' is my favourite Cage film though. 'Red Rock West' a close econd.
Yes. Yes. How could I forget - one of the heaviest and most brilliant movies of all time - Leaving Las Vegas. I only saw it once and it still stings when I think about it. But on a lighter note, I recently saw Moonstruck again - and even his performance is pure joy. And he had his real front teeth - the alternative, I hate to watch. I did not like Bad Lieutenant only because I loved the original. And most of the movies I like were the earlier movies, but when I saw the understated Pig - which I thought was one of the best films of the year, I thought what a good move on his part. Most of his over the top stuff or lack of restraint - as in Pacino as well - other people like, I really don’t.
BTW, I hated Longlegs. Not necessarily for his take on the character, but it’s not in the script. The crossdressing part is in the script tho. Cage is not in it long enough - moves like a big bunny. He’s not threatening or menacing and he’s not a great serial killer because he actually is not killing anybody. He’s unintentionally silly.
I hear you.
Cage is NEVER not interesting to watch in ANYHTING. Even when he's clearly in a different movie than from the rest of the cast.
That "we don't get to care about a lot of things" restaurant sequence from 'Pig' is quite fantastic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi1qHibM2Y8
And of course 'Bad Lieutenant' is a masterpiece. I greatly enjoy most of Ferrara's output from before he got on the wagon... Yet, there is a place in my heart for Herzog's (inferior) remake, if only for the image of Cage already waiting behind an open door, operating on 2 hours' sleep, with his electric shaver (I try to replicate it any chance I get with freinds who know the film and won't call the cops on me...). https://youtu.be/XYJOAW7r03s?t=2
And of course, that profoundly satisfying prescription counter scene... https://youtu.be/sVz0RcDbAp8
Haven't seen Longlegs yet.
I love this link to Pig. I forgot how good he is in this is. I am sorry - maybe if Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans was just called Port of Call NOLA or Death on Decatur I wouldn’t compare the two movies, and I could see the movie independent of the other - Bad Lieutenant is so superior. Keitel is so much better. Abel does a grittier movie. I just thought I was really seeing people shoot up, which I think they were. But even just looking at these links, I still think Cage just overacts and I actually can’t stand looking at him because he’s doing himself. I do like the shaving scene. But to be fair, I should see it again with a new pov because it’s been a while. Why did they have to call it Bad Lieutenant.
shareFerrara's Bad Lieutenant is the superior film on all counts, no question about that.
shareAre you trolling you fucking dumb piece of trash? You ever see Leaving Las Vegas, Pig, Adaptation, Red Rock West, Birdy, etc. Probably not you dumb asshole
shareI thought he was good.
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