Deadfall (1993): “Fun Time Family Fun!” [Joey’s Review]
DEADFALL is far from the best movie we’ve watched in #CageClub. In fact, it’s — objectively — a bad movie. But it’s also a movie that was far more entertaining than a lot of the other, better movies we’ve watched, and featured more laugh out loud moments than any other #CageClub film I watched for the first time (even more than FIRE BIRDS!).
Nicolas Cage is not technically the star of Deadfall; that title goes to Michael Biehn, who will return in the not-so-distant future when we get to THE ROCK. In fact, Cage isn’t even in most of the movie; he doesn’t show up until 17 minutes in, and [spoiler alert!] dies around the 58 minute mark. But the 40 or so minutes he’s on screen, he’s an entertainment tornado that makes this movie instantly enjoyable.
When we watched VAMPIRE’S KISS, I wrote about how this was Cage at his most internet-beloved and meme-worthy. While Deadfall may be a distant second to Vampire’s Kiss in terms of internet love (or maybe even lower, if you factor in scenes from SNAKE EYES and FACE/OFF and THE WICKER MAN), it’s Cage turned up to 11 and exaggerated in a way I didn’t know was possible. I’d seen some clips from this movie, but I didn’t know that there would be multiple 5-10 minute stretches where he’s dialed all the way up and doesn’t relent. It’s wonderful.
The plot of Deadfall is this: everyone is conning everyone because everyone is a con man and life is a big con. They’re all trying to get money and better their own situation and they don’t care what that does to anyone else around them. They’re all looking out for number one and will use and manipulate everyone they come across to help them achieve that goal. It’s this megalomania and ego-driven world that lets Cage shine, and gives us Ultimate Cage.
Cage plays a guy named Eddie, who is the #1 goon/doer for Lou Donan, Biehn’s character’s uncle and one of the main con men in the movie. Cage is tasked to show Biehn around after Biehn’s father dies and he heads out west to uncover his father’s mysterious past and practice his con game out in California. Cage picks up his girlfriend — again, a beautiful woman (Sarah Trigger) because Cage is always with beautiful women — and proclaims that the scams they’re going to pull will be “fun time family fun!”
This whole movie, in a sense, is fun time family fun. It’s directed and co-written by Cage’s brother, Christopher Coppola, and features Cage’s aunt, Talia Shire (“Yo, Adrian!”), and Cage’s other brother Marc. There’s a five-minute special feature on the DVD that makes the whole production seem like it’s sort of a family movie that the world got to see. We’re all richer for the experience. (We’d be even richer if Christopher Coppola ever released the first films he shot; IMDb says he began his filmmaking career as a kid, filming Cage on super 8. Give me those videos, please.)
It’s close to impossible to describe Cage’s actions, mannerisms, or motivations in this film in words. We’re including more than a handful of his best clips on the podcast tomorrow, but I really encourage you to go out and find this film. You don’t have to watch the whole thing; in fact, you can pretty much just watch from 17:00 – 58:00. Whatever you pay to get your hands on it is more than worth it for those 40 minutes; it’s a master class in commitment to a role, even when the production gives you little to work with. It’s also just entertaining as hell, and one of the most fun stretches of any movie you’re likely to see all year.
Deadfall is not a good movie, but it features one of Cage’s most intense (I don’t want to say “best”) performances of his career. It’s an absolute delight, and a movie you should seek out. If you’re able to ignore the fact that the film opens and closes with the exact same con, and you’re able to ignore the fact that we never get a lot of motivation or explanation for why characters are doing things, and if you’re able to ignore the horrendous noir voiceover, you’ll love Deadfall. Even if you can’t overlook those things, check it out! I promise you won’t be bored.
How can I watch it? It’s not available to stream for free on Netflix or Amazon. Another Deadfall is on Netflix, but it doesn’t have Cage so I can’t be bothered to care about it. You can stream it for a couple bucks on Amazon or buy the DVD (fullscreen only!) for a couple dollars more.
What’s up next? Next up is GUARDING TESS, which is a movie I know nothing about, except the DVD case makes it look like Cage is in the Secret Service. Also, the box art is very reminiscent of STOP! OR MY MOM WILL SHOOT, so I have high hopes for this one.
