Nicolas Cage films have always had a vibe of their own. They can be totally absurd, often make zero sense, and yet somehow still be immensely enjoyable. Right now, an action-packed caper from the house of Cage is storming on Netflix, which has everything from crime to comedy to Nicolas Cage in a fake Gandalfian beard. He is a grandpa assassin, after all.
In Canada, where The Retirement Plan has gained particular traction, it currently sits pretty at the seventh spot on Netflix’s top ten films list. Remarkably, this is its third consecutive week in the top lineup. Written and directed by Tim Brown, The Retirement Plan boasts a cast that includes more familiar faces apart from Cage, from Ron Perlman to Ashley Greene, Ernie Hudson, and Thalia Campbell.
The plot follows Ashley, who finds herself thrust into a whirlwind of chaos after a ruthless crime boss captures her husband during a heist. Desperate for assistance, she turns to her estranged father, Matt, who is living a laid-back life as a retired beach bum in the Cayman Islands. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Matt harbours a mysterious past Ashley knew nothing about, one that resurfaces as they find themselves pursued by the crime boss and his relentless henchmen.
It might surprise you to know that Cage said yes to the crime caper because he “loves the concept of family movies” as per Brown. When Collider quizzed Brown about Cage’s interest in the film, he promptly gave credit to Akira Kurosawa, “I think that what drew him to the project, and what he said to me was certainly number one, was that he loves the concept of family movies. He’s a big fan of Japanese cinema, and Kurosawa, in particular. There are a lot of family values in those films, and I think that was a big part of it.” Before adding, “And then, it was the comedy.”
Brown also noted, “I wish Nic would do more comedy,” citing Raising Arizona as “one of the great comedies” to this day. This is one regard, everyone would agree with the director; Nicolas Cage definitely needs to do more comedy films.
The film’s premise might be described as totally coincidental to the heavy action that is the main attraction, and the plot definitely stretches the limits of credulity. Yet, it’s precisely this absurdity that lends itself to the film’s charm. With a few good laughs sprinkled throughout, The Retirement Plan delivers on its promise of an entertaining ride from start to finish. But it isn’t what the highbrow art community ordered with the side of their expensive champaign.
You can watch The Retirement Plan on Netflix if you have time to kill, but first, catch the trailer here:
