One of the first things an actor learns when trying to play a real person is that they can go two ways in their approach: they can either pretend, look, sound, and act like their subject (Daniel Day-Lewis in LincolnOr the actor doesn’t try to look exactly like their subject, but instead chooses to evoke characteristics of the characters that remind them of them (like Tom Hanks playing Jim Lovell). Apollo 13).
Now we’re getting our first look at Nicolas Cage playing John Madden in the upcoming film. CrazyAnd it looks like Cage didn’t do anything – instead, Nicolas chose to just be Cage.
Look, you can always say that Tom Hanks is a different version of Tom Hanks in his movies, but it works because he takes very different approaches. In no way does Nicolas Cage look like he’s trying to be remotely like John Madden in this clip, other than throwing some mush in his mouth. While I can’t fault Cage for not wanting to try and emulate John Madden, who can really quickly become cartoonish, there’s nothing here that feels like Madden.
Reactions to this teaser release have been pulling for Cage and the film, and rightfully so. Not that I have much faith in Nicolas Cage, but in David O. Russell Direct ()Silver Linings Playbook), and Christian Bale to be in the movie – I had some Trust that this might be good. Nicolas Cage killed it all.