Nicolas Cage Rocks Bold New Look in Overlooked Western Tonight!

Although Nicolas Cage has slowed down his filming pace, he remains quite productive, averaging about three feature films per year. One of his latest roles is in a Western that deserves more attention than its quiet release on myCANAL (also available on Prime Video).

Bald for the First Time

The movie, titled Butcher’s Crossing, is set in a small Kansas town of the same name. It follows Will Andrews (played by Fred Hechinger, known from Gladiator 2) who arrives from the East Coast with dreams of bison hunting, a pursuit he idealizes. Despite warnings from those around him, Will decides to make the journey with a Western veteran named Miller (Cage). Miller claims to know the last place where bison roam in large numbers, but is his mental health as reliable as he suggests?

Although Cage loves to transform his appearance for each new role to fully embody his characters, this is the first time he has ever agreed to shave his head completely for a part. With this fresh look, he manages to create a novel portrayal, breaking away from the typical rugged, old-school cowboy seen in many Westerns.

A Remarkable Performance by Nicolas Cage

Filmed in Montana in less than 20 days, Butcher’s Crossing turns out to be a pleasant surprise. The film impressively depicts the harsh, uncompromising era of the American West and its characters. While the plot may be predictable and the characters stereotypical, and some might find it lacking in action, Cage’s performance and the atmosphere of this Western make it worth watching.

Butcher’s Crossing is directed by Gabe Polsky, a documentary filmmaker who here delivers his second narrative feature following The Motel Life in 2012. Polsky had previously worked with Nic Cage as a producer on Werner Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2010).