Raising Arizona is another good example.

I don't know, i mean he does have range, but i don't think I've over seen him in a role where i was immersed in the character he was playing more than i consistently see it being Nick Cage playing the character as Nick Cage would play him.

I mean a lot of actors get typecast into specific roles you can't unsee them as, but Nick is like a character that can't seem to un-overlay his acting style from the character. Not unlike someone with an accent they can't hide will always bring something potentially unintended to the character, he brings a 'this is what this character would be like if we were in a universe where his personality was painted over the intended character'.

Good or bad, i don't think he has a role where he can leave himself out of it, and i think he would have failed as an actor a long time ago if he was forced to.