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movie review - The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

This is an infectiously chaotic story about a famous but fading movie star who is invited to the home of a Spanish billionaire for a $1 million project of unknown purpose. The actor and billionaire begin an at-first uneasy collaboration on a film project written by the businessman. It's at this point that the CIA becomes involved, as they believe that the Spaniard has kidnapped the daughter a local politician in hopes of swaying an election.

Things develop in a rather messy way from that point, with the families of both men being dragged into events around the actual kidnapping (which the CIA had almost right). I cannot over-stress that this thing does not take itself seriously and is not intended to be taken seriously by the audience. The whole kidnapping thing feels like a purposeful distraction for exactly the reasons stated by the two men as they hash out the plot: to put the men in a situation where they will bond. I enjoyed the occasional presence of an imaginary younger version of the actor who appears to torment his older self with over-the-top encouragement.

I enjoyed it and suspect I'll watch it again. Strongly recommended.