‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Quiz: Every Glorious Nicolas Cage Movie Referenced on Sunday’s Episode
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from the “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” episode “ Safe House.”]
Det. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) faced his most distressing challenge yet on Sunday’s episode: living in a safe house with Captain Holt’s husband Kevin (Marc Evan Jackson) for weeks without access to the internet or cable. Fortunately, Jake owns all of the movies starring Nicholas Cage – “only the greatest, most compelling actor of all time” – on DVD.
Unfortunately, Kevin – who is a professor and the head of the Classics department at Columbia University – prefers more refined entertainment and doesn’t seem to be interested in Cage’s more over-the-top action-adventure films. That doesn’t stop Jake from trying though, and the following includes some of the descriptions he uses to entice Kevin, who eventually gives in.
Given that the descriptions are fairly straightforward, we thought it would be more fun to just provide the clues and test the readers’ knowledge of Cage films below. Answers are provided at the bottom of the story.
Movie 1
Jake: “The FBI has developed face-swapping technology…”
Kevin: “Not interested.”
Movie 2
Jake: “There’s a whole plane full of convicts.”
Kevin: “No.”
Bonus Quote:
Jake: “Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree because this boy’s coming home.”
Movie 3
Jake: “On the back of the original Declaration of Independence, there’s a hidden treasure map.”
Kevin: “Stop.”
Jake: “But that’s the smartest one!”
Movie 4
Jake: “Okay, I think you’re going to actually like this one. Nic Cage is a chemist…”
Kevin: “Interesting. Keep going.”
Jake: “… who has to break into Alcatraz.”
Kevin: “Absolutely not.”
Movie 5
Kevin: “I broke down and watched one of Peralta’s action films. I’m lying; I watched them all, including one in which a man’s head turns into a flaming skull.”
Movie 6
Kevin: “There was a movie about a mandolin and you kept it from me for two months?”
Jake: “Well, I didn’t think it was any good. It’s just some period piece…”
Kevin: “What?!”
Jake: “Set in Greece…”
Kevin: “Oh my God.”
Jake: “Based on some dumb book.”
Movie 7
Jake: “Next thing you’re going to say you wished we watched [Movie 7], a dark, ponderous reflection on alcoholism that earned Cage his Oscar.”
Kevin: (screams in incoherent rage)
In retrospect, given Cage’s extensive and varied resume, this game could’ve gone on for much longer on the show. It’s a shame that there weren’t references to some IndieWire favorites such as “Wild at Heart,” “Raising Arizona,” and “Adaptation.” It would’ve been intriguing to hear Peralta’s summaries of those.
Answers
1. “Face/Off”; 2. “Con Air”; 3. “National Treasure”; 4. “The Rock”; 5. “Ghost Rider”; 6. “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin”; 7. “Leaving Las Vegas”
”Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs Sundays at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox.
