I have a couple of friends that despise Nicolas Cage. One of these friends will actively avoid anything Cage is in, and I believe I’ve heard him utter the sentiment that Cage is one of the worst actors he’s ever seen. I get weirdly indignant when I hear this, because, for one, I think Nic Cage is totally awesome, and for another, I know that with every Bangkok Dangerous, with every The Wicker Man, Cage’s reputation increases as the crappiest of the A-list actors.

I think there are three pivotal Cage performances that must be seen to fully appreciate Cage. These three roles, H.I. McDunnough in Raising Arizona, Ben Sanderson in Leaving Las Vegas, and Stanley Goodspeed in The Rock, reveal Cage at his all-time best, and all three of them epresent major career changes for the actor. These are the roles virtually guaranteed to convert a Cage-hater into a Cage-lover, so that the memory of crap like Ghost Rider starts to fade, and they can start appreciating Cage’s strong turns in films like Adaptation, Vampire’s Kiss, or Matchstick Men.

Cage got his breakout, star-making role in Raising Arizona, written and directed by the Coen Brothers. As H.I. McDunnough, an idiotic career criminal who kidnaps a millionaire’s baby in order to placate his barren wife, Cage physical energy and comic timing have never been better. It’s the only film on Cage’s resume that is an inarguable cinematic classic, an accolade that many of his peers simply can’t lay claim to. The Coens get the lion’s share of credit for crafting such an original comedy (deservedly so), but Cage’s contribution to the film is undeniable. The kidnapping scene, H.I.’s diaper robbery, and his incredible mobile home fight scene with John Goodman are all elevated by Cage’s commitment to the role.

Cage made a string of slight comedies and a couple of interesting indie films before landing the role of suicidal writer Ben Sanderson in Leaving Las Vegas. There is no one else who could have made this movie about a guy who drinks himself to death palatable, but Cage brings a sense of humor to the film that never feels out-of-place. He finds moments for Sanderson that are heart-breaking in their desperation, but throws out some amazing line readings that keep the film from becoming maudlin. He’s eccentric but sympathetic; tragic but with a strange sort of optimism reflected in the resoluteness of his purpose. His eagerness to die is hard to take, because it seems like a waste of a very unique person. Watching a likeable character self-destruct is brutal, and Cage makes sure we like Sanderson, even through all of his emotional baggage. Critics loved Cage here, and he won a Best Actor Oscar for the role.

Strangely enough, he used his new-found Oscar clout to open the doors to action movie stardom. His first bid at mainstream movie stardom was a big success, starring opposite Sean Connery in Michael Bay’s The Rock. He seems relaxed and naturally funny in the role of “chemical super-freak” Dr. Stanley Goodspeed, not so much an action hero, as a reluctant nerd dragged into a hostile situation where he is forced to act heroic. Cage proved to be a refreshing change from many of the 1980’s action stars who were still trying to hold onto their former glory in the waning days of the 1990’s. The role made general audiences reconsider him as an A-lister, and he’s continued to follow the role with action “event” movies for over a decade (Some certainly better than others. For every Face/Off, there’s a Next). It’s an important moment in Cage’s career as an actor, and this performance alone explains why Cage continues to attract audiences, despite several out-right bombs.

If you can watch these three films, and you still can’t stomach Nicolas Cage, then I’m sorry. I feel like you’re really missing out on something. My friends feel this way about me and sushi, so I can understand. I’ve tried it; I don’t like it. But at least I’ve tried it several times. Cage is a distinct, flavorful personality when he’s motivated as an actor, and if you’ve written him off because you didn’t like National Treasure, well, you’re really only hurting yourself.