I saw this, need to read a couple more times ....but indeed, this early Nic film always garners favourable reviews..I have a particularly soft  for it as it was the film way back then when I became a Nic fan!

I like this littel nugget

'Cage makes H.I. seem aloof but electric' seesm quite simply put and yet it captivated me with it's startling truth. 

I do not fully agree with the conclusion that Nic plays himself, and believe he does  lose himself completely..not into the character but comepletely gets out of the way in order to channel and bring the character to life. I think that sense of familiarity people have with Nic is becaue he is such a well known prolifc actor, who does ahve a sginature genius to his characters, and he is afterall the vehicle for the creativity to flow...unless he was to be physically invisible, it is impossible to eliminate him from the equation but for me the chameleon like metaporphic range and ability of Nicolas Cage is what makes hime this sublime  actor above all others.

(apologies for typos my fingers take on a life of their own when i get passionate)