18 leading roles of Nicolas Cage: shooting with David Lynch and Oscar for the image of an alcoholic

In the piggy bank of the actor there are filming of the world's best directors, Oscars and many other prestigious awards. And at the same time - a lot of nominations for the "Golden Raspberry", as well as the glory of the constantly overacting actor, whose portraits have long been sold to memes. For the release of the film "Mandy", which has already been called the triumphant return of Nicolas Cage to the screens, we recall his best roles from the beginning of his career to the present day.

1. Bird

USA, 1984.
Drama, military.
Duration: 120 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 3.

The impressionable Ptah and the cheerful Al are completely opposite to each other in character. But they share a common tragedy: they will never be the same after the Vietnam War. Al has to save the mind of his comrade, who imagined that he was a real bird.

One of Cage's first serious film roles. The role of the young, but already crippled by the war, Al was a success for him. Already here you can see the emotional outbursts typical for the actor, but on the whole he perfectly got used to the character.

2. Raising Arizona

USA, 1987.
Comedy, crime.
Duration: 94 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 4.

Petty criminal High and his wife Ed, who works in the police, cannot have a child in any way. Having learned that the owner of a chain of stores Nathan Arizona had five children at once, they decide to kidnap one, believing that no one will notice the loss anyway. But to this already stupid plan is added a lot of problems when his former inmates come to Huy, and the bounty hunter goes in search of the baby.

The comedy-drama, filled with the Coen brothers' trademark humor, has drawn a lot of attention to the increasingly popular actor. After this role, he was noticed by other famous directors.

3. Wild at heart

USA, 1990.
Drama, comedy, crime.
Duration: 125 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 2.

Unjustly convicted Sailor is released early from prison and immediately escapes with his girlfriend Lula. Lula's mother sends her lover, a private detective, in search of her daughter and at the same time hires a hitman to kill Sailor.

The legendary took a break from working on the series "" to make this film. Cage's partner in "Wild at Heart" was the director's favorite Laura Dern, who appears in almost every project of the master.

4. Roadside establishment

USA, 1993.
Drama, crime, thriller.
Duration: 98 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 0.

Former Marine Michael comes to a small town to find work. However, the owner of the local bar takes him for the hitman he hired to eliminate his wife and explains his task to the guest. Michael decides to tell the victim about the danger threatening her, but at this time a real killer arrives in the city.

5. Leaving Las Vegas

USA, 1995.
Psychological drama.
Duration: 111 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 5.

Ben's alcoholism robbed him of his career, personal life and even home. He decides to give up everything and leaves for Las Vegas, where he meets a local prostitute Sera. The couple agree not to criticize each other, but simply enjoy life. But the closer they get, the more everyone wants to help the other get out of the abyss in which they both find themselves.

It is said that while preparing for this role, Nicolas Cage drank a lot of alcohol. As a result, he received Oscar and Golden Globe awards for his image, and was also nominated for a BAFTA.

6. Rock

USA, 1996.
Action movie.
Duration: 136 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 4.

The American general seizes dangerous weapons of mass destruction and takes hostages in the former Alcatraz prison, demanding a huge amount of money. FBI specialist Stanley Goodspeed must neutralize the terrorists. And only a former British agent who has been in prison for 33 years can take him to prison.

The end of the nineties became for Nicolas Cage a period of roles in the best action movies. In literally every second film, he had to save the world and neutralize criminals. In "The Rock" he did it in tandem with the famous.

7. Without a face

USA, 1997.
Action, thriller.
Duration: 138 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 3.

FBI agent Sean Archer is trying to figure out where the criminal brothers Castor and Pollack Troy hid the bomb. In order for him to get close to Pollack, he undergoes plastic surgery and Castor's face is transplanted. But having understood the plans of the intruders, Archer learns that Castor not only made a similar substitution and took possession of his face, but also killed everyone who knew about this operation.

In this film, Cage and John Travolta had a chance to play two roles at once. By changing the faces of the characters, each of them appears to be both a hero and a villain.

8. Air prison

USA, 1997.
Action, thriller.
Duration: 115 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 8.

A group of the most dangerous criminals is transported on a specially equipped plane from one prison to another. The criminals, having agreed in advance, organize a riot and seize the board. But among the prisoners is the former ranger Cameron Poe, who is serving a sentence for manslaughter. He must be released early, and he decides to help the police and agents free the air prison.

9. City of Angels

USA, Germany, 1998.
Drama, melodrama.
Duration: 114 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 7.

Angels invisibly dwell next to people. But they themselves cannot feel simple earthly joys. And now the angel Seth decides to "fall" and become a man in order to be able to be close to his beloved woman and enjoy every day. However, their happiness cannot last long.

City of Angels is one of the many classic film remakes that Cage has starred in. In this case, the story is based on the plot of the painting "Sky over Berlin".

10. Raising the Dead

USA, 1999.
Thriller, mysticism.
Duration: 121 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 8.

Paramedic Frank Pierce is constantly haunted by the ghosts of people he once could not save. This leads him to a nervous breakdown, and Frank even wants to quit his job. The last chance for salvation is to meet the daughter of a man dying of a heart attack.

Another successful example of the collaboration of Nicolas Cage with a popular director - he shot a picture. True, it failed at the box office, but the critics received the film very warmly.

11. Gone in 60 seconds

USA, 2000.
Action, thriller.
Duration: 118 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 5.

Randall Rains has long been tied up with criminal affairs. But his brother undertook to steal 50 cars for the customer at once. He did not cope with the task, and now Randall has to do everything to save his brother from the mafia. According to calculations, it turns out that his team has one minute to steal each car.

Another remake in the career of an actor. This time, the 1974 film of the same name was reshomed.

12. Family man

USA, 2000.
Drama, comedy, fantasy.
Duration: 125 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 7.

Successful businessman Jack Campbell has it all: money, luxury housing, beautiful mistresses. But once he did not return to the girl who could become his destiny. And one day, before Christmas, he has the opportunity to find out how his life could have turned out if he had acted differently. Jack finds himself in a modest house, but he has a wife and two children.

13. Adaptation

USA, 2002.
Tragicomedy.
Duration: 96 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 7.

Famed screenwriter Charlie Kaufman has to adapt The Orchid Thief for screens. But he is in a creative crisis and cannot come up with a worthwhile idea. At the same time, his twin brother Donald, who also dreams of becoming a screenwriter, comes to see him. As a result, Charlie uses his brother's formulaic sketches to deliver the script to customers on time.

The real-life screenwriter Charlie Kaufman ("Being John Malkovich") in this film approached the work very outside the box. He not only introduced himself into the plot, but also invented a twin brother (and even tried to convince everyone that he was real). Both were played by Nicolas Cage, who had to portray two different characters, and even wear special linings to appear thicker.

14. Magnificent scam

USA, 2003.
Drama, comedy, crime.
Duration: 116 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 3.

Rogue Roy and his assistant Frank run petty business in the trade. But suddenly Frank, who did not have a good personal life, finds out that he has a daughter, Angela. He quickly understands what it means to have a really close person nearby. And Angela, having learned about her father's activities, demands that he teach her the art of deception as well.

15. National Treasure

USA, 2004.
Adventure thriller.
Duration: 131 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 9.

Treasure hunter Ben Franklin Gates believes in the existence of a treasure hidden by the founding fathers of the United States. In order to find it, you need to decipher the hint hidden in the Declaration of Independence. However, Ben and his team not only need to puzzle over riddles, but also confront other lovers of profit.

Despite the fact that the second part of this film was received much worse, fans are still waiting for the sequel and believe every rumor about its shooting.

16. Armory Baron

USA, Germany, France, 2005.
Crime, drama, thriller.
Duration: 122 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 6.

The descendants of Russian émigrés, Yuri and Vitaly Orlov, decide to start selling weapons. Their business is going uphill, and Yuri becomes a real arms baron. But an Interpol agent is getting closer and closer to him.

Nicholas Cage in this film had a chance to play a native of Russia. And those few phrases that he speaks in Russian can even be made out, which many other actors who once played ours cannot boast of.

17. Kick-Ass

USA, 2010.
Action, comedy.
Duration: 117 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 6.

Teenager Dave Lizevski decides to become a superhero. He dresses up in a suit made with his own hands, but other than that he has little to oppose even street hooligans. But an 11-year-old girl nicknamed Murderer, raised by a stern father, can crush villains with any kind of weapon or with her bare hands.

Cage played here the comic but very interesting role of Papani, a former police officer who teaches his young daughter to fight crime. He resembles a parody version, obsessed with revenge for his past.

18. Joe

USA, 2013.
Drama, crime.
Duration: 117 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 9.

Young Gary grows up in a poor family with an alcoholic father. And the former criminal Joe is trying with all his might to forget about his past. Unexpectedly, these two completely different people become friends and try to find a way to a better life together.

One of the few films of recent years with Nicolas Cage, which critics praised enough. He got the role of a tired man who unexpectedly became a father for himself, and the actor seems to have made every effort to make this image look realistic.