The Family Man

Starring: Nicholas Cage, Tea Leoni, Don Cheadle
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Box Office: $75,793,305
2000

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Jack Campbell (Nicholas Cage) is a typical Wall Street businessman. He lives alone, works constantly, and makes a great deal of money. One lonely Christmas, however he meets a man with a gun (Don Cheadle) who turns out to be some kind of angel. The angel gives Jack a glimpse into what his life could have been like had he married his girlfriend (Tea Leoni) who he dumped 13 years ago. At first, Jack hates not having money and having to raise two kids. However, little by little he begins to question which life would have been better.

Review:
Tim: In the same line as It’s A Wonderful Life, this film gives an ordinary man a “glimpse” into his own life- in this case, what it could be like. Nicholas Cage is simply brilliant in this film, giving a usual excellent performance. He is simply remarkable, calling on a wide range of emotions and facial expressions to add to the film. With any other action, the film wouldn’t have worked as well, mostly due to the charisma Cage has.

Tea Leoni did act well, but something about her performance bothered me. You were supposed to really like her, but at times I thought her foolish or selfish. She did make a good match opposite Cage, yet her performance lacked the final touches to make you really care about her. The Family Man is a very good drama, giving you much to think about- how a single decision can so alter your life. The film does have its slow moments and plot holes, but the message it delivers is very important, and does so in an entertaining manner. I can’t count how many times I just laughed out loud- mostly becuase of Cage, but the film did have its humorous moments.

I very much recommend seeing the Family Man. While it is no It’s A Wonderful Life, the film does have a very good message, and is just plain fun to watch. I definitely say “See this film!”

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: It's a Wonderful Life, Gone in 60 Seconds, Deep Impact, Swordfish