Nicolas Cage

Biography: A quirky movie star who's alternately admired and criticized for his over-the-top performances, Cage has enjoyed a dramatic, hit-or-miss career. Early on he was the poster child for rebellious boys (Rumble Fish, Racing with the Moon), but a trio of '80s romantic comedies opposite comparatively mature leading ladies proved that he could play disparate adult characters. In the neoscrewball comedy Raising Arizona (with Holly Hunter), he was a goofy but kindhearted ex-con. The operatic Moonstruck (starring Cher) showcased his fiery, Italian side. And his uncle, director Francis Ford Coppola, gave him free rein to inhabit both a nasal-voiced, '60s teen and a middle-aged philanderer in the time-tripping Peggy Sue Got Married opposite Kathleen Turner. Although Cage was undeniably a star, he was an acquired taste, famous for his intense characterizations and Method-acting madness (while filming the 1989 cult film Vampire's Kiss, he ingested a live cockroach). In the '90s, Cage movedA quirky movie star who's alternately admired and criticized for his over-the-top performances, Cage has enjoyed a dramatic, hit-or-miss career. Early on he was the poster child for rebellious boys (Rumble Fish, Racing with the Moon), but a trio of '80s romantic comedies opposite comparatively mature leading ladies proved that he could play disparate adult characters. In the neoscrewball comedy Raising Arizona (with Holly Hunter), he was a goofy but kindhearted ex-con. The operatic Moonstruck (starring Cher) showcased his fiery, Italian side. And his uncle, director Francis Ford Coppola, gave him free rein to inhabit both a nasal-voiced, '60s teen and a middle-aged philanderer in the time-tripping Peggy Sue Got Married opposite Kathleen Turner. Although Cage was undeniably a star, he was an acquired taste, famous for his intense characterizations and Method-acting madness (while filming the 1989 cult film Vampire's Kiss, he ingested a live cockroach). In the '90s, Cage moved between genres, taking on comedies (Honeymoon in Vegas), art-house films (Wild at Heart) and action flicks (Fire Birds), before landing the part that finally earned him unanimous praise and myriad awards, including an Oscar: a suicidal, alcoholic writer in 1995's harrowing Leaving Las Vegas. Instead of continuing on the serious-actor track, however, Cage reinvented himself once again, this time as an action hero in a string of big-budget blockbusters (The Rock, Face/Off). With his pick of projects, he seemed sometimes to choose randomly, starring in a hodgepodge of pictures. For every box-office hit (National Treasure) or critical triumph (Adaptation, which earned him an Oscar nod) he made three flops (Windtalkers, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Sonny, which he also directed). Yet he remained in the spotlight thanks to his prolific output and tempestuous love life, which included failed marriages to Patricia Arquette and Lisa Marie Presley. In 2004, Cage married sushi waitress Alice Kim, who was some 20 years his junior. Expand

Nicolas Cage's Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average career score: 50
Highest Metascore: 87 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Lowest Metascore: 12 Left Behind
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 77
  2. Negative: 29 out of 77
77 movie reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
41 Kick-Ass 2 Aug 16, 2013 Damon Macready/Big Daddy 7.0
55 The Croods Mar 22, 2013 Grug / Grug 7.0
43 Stolen Sep 14, 2012 Will Montgomery 5.9
38 Seeking Justice Mar 16, 2012 Will Gerard / Will Gerard 5.9
26 A Thousand Words Mar 9, 2012 Producer 4.8
34 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Feb 17, 2012 Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider / Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider / Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider / Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider tbd
37 Trespass Oct 14, 2011 Kyle / Kyle tbd
44 Drive Angry 3D Feb 25, 2011 Milton 5.8
28 Season of the Witch Jan 7, 2011 Behmen 5.0
46 The Sorcerer's Apprentice Jul 14, 2010 Executive Producer / Balthazar / Balthazar Blake 6.2
69 The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans Nov 20, 2009 Producer / Producer / Terence McDonagh / Terence McDonagh tbd
53 Astro Boy Oct 23, 2009 Dr. Tenma 6.0
41 G-Force Jul 24, 2009 Speckles / Speckles tbd
41 Knowing Mar 20, 2009 John Koestler / John Koestler 6.5
24 Bangkok Dangerous Sep 5, 2008 Producer / Producer / Joe / Joe 8.5
78 Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired Jul 11, 2008 Himself / Himself tbd
48 National Treasure: Book of Secrets Dec 21, 2007 Ben Gates 5.8
42 Next Apr 27, 2007 Producer / Producer / Cris Johnson / Cris Johnson 2.2
35 Ghost Rider Feb 16, 2007 Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider 3.7
36 The Wicker Man Sep 1, 2006 Producer / Edward Malus 2.2
66 World Trade Center Aug 9, 2006 John McLoughlin 5.5
59 The Ant Bully Jul 28, 2006 Zoc 5.3
61 The Weather Man Oct 28, 2005 David Spritz / David Spritz 6.9
62 Lord of War Sep 16, 2005 Producer / Producer / Yuri Orlov / Yuri Orlov 7.5
39 National Treasure Nov 19, 2004 Ben Gates 6.9
61 Matchstick Men Sep 12, 2003 Roy Waller / Roy Waller tbd
31 The Life of David Gale Feb 21, 2003 Producer 7.0
31 Sonny Dec 27, 2002 Director / Producer / Acid Yellow 8.7
83 Adaptation. Dec 6, 2002 Charlie Kaufman/Donald Kaufman / Charlie Kaufman/Donald Kaufman tbd
51 Windtalkers Jun 14, 2002 Sergeant Joe Enders 6.1

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