In recent years, Cage’s bizarre personality and the gossip about his personal life have often eclipsed his acting choices, but Phipps provides a convincing assessment of his career. The narrative meanders at times, yet the book proves to be a surprisingly intriguing read, written in an accessible, magazine-like style ... Fans and detractors alike will find films to revisit and new things to ponder about Cage’s protean career.
... the author juxtaposes insightful analyses of Cage’s films with helpful film history about a fickle industry searching for the next fad or copying the latest hit ... Cage fans will relish this refreshing, extensive assessment of the mercurial, prolific actor.
Film critic Phipps debuts with an entertaining odyssey through actor Nicolas Cage’s rise to fame and his restless quest to create himself ... In exploring Cage’s films from the 1980s to the 2010s, Phipps offers an entrancing look at the actor’s transformation ... Even in underlining Cage’s chameleonlike genius, Phipps doesn’t gloss over the actor’s missteps ... Cage’s legions of devotees are in for a wild ride.
