Nicolas Cage’s career has never followed a straight line. From his early breakout in the 1980s to an Oscar win for Leaving Las Vegas, and later reinvention through daring independent films, he has built one of Hollywood’s most unconventional filmographies.
As he celebrates another birthday, his legacy feels less like a list of hits and more like a living archive of cinematic risk. Films such as Raising Arizona, Adaptation, Face/Off and Mandy reveal an actor unafraid to stretch tone, genre, or persona.
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
(Source: IMDb)
In this harrowing drama, Cage delivers his most acclaimed performance as Ben Sanderson, a Hollywood screenwriter who sinks into self-destructive alcoholism and moves to Las Vegas with the intent to drink himself to death. His raw, deeply human portrayal earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor and stands as a towering dramatic achievement in his filmography.
Face/Off (1997)
(Source: IMDb)
A quintessential ‘90s action spectacle, Face/Off sees Cage as the ruthless terrorist Castor Troy opposite John Travolta’s FBI agent. The film’s wild premise, involving the two men swapping faces, allows Cage to embody both villain and unexpected hero, exemplifying his willingness to embrace high-energy, over-the-top roles.
Adaptation (2002)
(Source: IMDb)
In this inventive Spike Jonze comedy-drama, Cage plays twin brothers Charlie and Donald Kaufman, offering one of his most nuanced and introspective performances. The film, blending reality and metafiction, earned Cage a second Academy Award nomination and highlights his dramatic range beyond genre conventions.
The Rock (1996)
(Source: IMDb)
Directed by Michael Bay, The Rock was a turning point that firmly established Nicolas Cage as a mainstream leading man. He plays Stanley Goodspeed, a soft-spoken FBI chemist forced into a high-stakes military mission to stop a rogue general threatening San Francisco with chemical weapons.
Paired with Sean Connery’s seasoned operative, Cage brings nervous energy and emotional credibility to a genre often dominated by invincible heroes. The film became a massive box-office success and marked the beginning of Cage’s action-star era.
Con Air (1997)
(Source: IMDb)
At the height of 1990s blockbuster excess, Cage starred as Cameron Poe, a decorated soldier wrongfully imprisoned and desperate to return home to his family. Sporting a Southern accent and long hair, Poe is a rare kind of action protagonist: gentle, principled, and reactive rather than aggressive. Amid explosions and colorful villains, Cage’s sincerity grounds the spectacle, turning Con Air into one of the decade’s most enduring action cult favorites.
Raising Arizona (1987)
(Source: IMDb)
This Coen Brothers classic introduced audiences to Cage’s fearless comic instincts. As H.I. McDunnough, an ex-con who kidnaps a baby in a misguided attempt at domestic happiness, Cage delivers a performance bursting with physical comedy, exaggerated vocal work, and surprising warmth. The film laid the foundation for his reputation as a performer willing to take bold, unconventional risks, and it remains a cornerstone of his early career.
Moonstruck (1987)
(Source: IMDb)
In this Oscar-winning romantic comedy, Cage plays Ronny Cammareri, a hot-tempered baker haunted by love and loss. His performance is theatrical, intense, and emotionally naked, matching the film’s operatic tone rather than undercutting it. Opposite Cher, Cage helped elevate Moonstruck beyond a standard rom-com, proving his ability to thrive in romantic and dramatic roles early in his career.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
(Source: IMDb)
One of the most self-aware films of his career, this meta-comedy casts Cage as a fictionalized version of himself grappling with fading fame and financial pressure. The role allows him to reflect on his legacy, parody his excesses, and celebrate his cult status. Sharing the screen with Pedro Pascal, Cage balances humor and vulnerability, turning the film into both a satire and a surprisingly heartfelt commentary on artistic identity.
Mandy (2018)
(Source: IMDb)
In this psychedelic revenge thriller, Cage delivers one of his most unrestrained and emotionally raw performances. Playing Red Miller, a man driven to obsession after a cult destroys his life, Cage channels grief, rage, and madness through a heavily stylized visual world. Mandy was widely praised by critics and embraced by fans as a late-career cult masterpiece, reaffirming Cage’s relevance in bold, independent cinema.
Joe (2013)
(Source: IMDb)
Directed by David Gordon Green, Joe presents Cage in one of his most restrained and grounded roles. He plays a troubled ex-convict who forms a fragile bond with a teenager in rural Texas. Stripped of spectacle, the performance relies on subtlety and moral complexity. Critics highlighted the role as evidence of Cage’s dramatic depth during a period often defined by uneven projects.
Color Out of Space (2019)
(Source: IMDb)
Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story, this sci-fi horror film casts Cage as Nathan Gardner, a father whose family begins to unravel after a mysterious meteorite crashes on their land. As reality bends and sanity erodes, Cage gradually shifts from calm patriarch to unhinged victim. The performance embraces both horror and tragedy, underscoring his comfort with genre storytelling and psychological transformation.
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
(Source: IMDb)
Under Werner Herzog’s direction, Cage delivers a wildly unpredictable turn as a corrupt, drug-addicted police officer. The film is less a traditional crime story than a chaotic character study, and Cage fully commits to its moral ambiguity. His performance divides audiences but is often cited as one of his most daring and fascinating, showcasing his willingness to push characters to uncomfortable extremes.
Bringing Out the Dead (1999)
(Source: IMDb)
Directed by Martin Scorsese, this nocturnal drama follows Cage as Frank Pierce, a paramedic haunted by the lives he couldn’t save. The role demands emotional exhaustion rather than heroism, and Cage responds with a weary, introspective performance. The film captures a psychological portrait of burnout and urban despair, standing as one of his most underrated dramatic works.
National Treasure (2004)
(Source: IMDb)
In this family-friendly adventure, Cage stars as historian Ben Gates, racing to uncover a hidden treasure encoded in America’s founding symbols. The film was a major commercial hit and introduced Cage to a younger, mainstream audience. While lighter in tone, the role highlighted his charisma and cemented his status as a reliable blockbuster lead during the 2000s.
Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)
(Source: IMDb)
This romantic comedy features Cage as Jack Singer, a commitment-phobic man whose engagement spirals into chaos after a wealthy gambler enters the picture. Blending humor, romance, and absurd situations, the film showcases Cage’s charm and comedic versatility. It stands as a reminder of his ability to balance eccentricity with emotional accessibility.
Longlegs (2024)
(Source: IMDb)
In one of the most unsettling performances of his career, Nicolas Cage disappears almost entirely into the role of a serial ki**er in this psychological horror thriller directed by Osgood Perkins.
Playing a cryptic, near-mythical antagonist whose presence looms over the film even when off-screen, Cage adopts an eerie physicality, distorted voice work, and a deliberately alien persona.
Longlegs was widely discussed upon release for its atmosphere and Cage’s transformation, earning praise for restraint rather than excess. The role reinforces his late-career renaissance and his instinct for choosing challenging, boundary-pushing material that lingers long after the credits roll.
