There is more to life than money apparently! (The Family Man (DVD))

Member Name: Judgee

Product:	The Family Man (DVD)
Date:	19/11/01 (146 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Romantic, Funny, Thought provoking

Disadvantages: Iffy plot in places, Overdone the aaaah factor

At least that is what the film is trying to tell you. Nicholas Cage is the would-be Scrooge in this modern day tale of love and money. The story has been revamped more times than Joan Collins has had face lifts, but the plot takes on a slightly different slant and adds some interesting food for thought.


The Cast list
*************

Nicholas Cage ? Jack Campbell
Tea Leoni ? Kate Reynolds
Don Cheadle ? Cash
Jeremy Piven ? Arnie
Saul Rubinek ? Peter Lassiter
Makenzie Vega ? Annie Campbell


The Story
*********

Set in modern day America on Christmas eve, High-powered Wall Street investment banker Jack Campbell (Cage) has a perfect life. Money to burn, flashy cars, a beautiful apartment, trashy women on tap and a Job he loves. What more could he possibly want?

Finishing late from work, Jack visits a grocery store and stumbles across an armed robbery taking place. Unselfishly intervening and through gentle persuasion he convinces the gunman, Cash (Cheadle) to leave the store. Jack follows Cash and strikes up a conversation with him, showing concern about his life of crime. Cash in return makes Jack take a look at his own life, does Jack really have everything he wants in life? Jack goes back to his Penthouse apartment, pondering the night?s events.

Christmas morning Jack awakes in the arms of his wife Kate (Leoni) and to the sound of 'his' screaming children. This confuses Jack greatly as he never had this family before he went to sleep. He also finds himself living in A suburb of New Jersey, working as a Car tyre salesman, a far cry from his high powered and overly paid position as president of a multi-million dollar company.

Kate was one of Jacks old girlfriends, who he left 13 years previously to pursue a high powered career. What Jack is witnessing is a glimpse of how his life would be, had he decided to stay and make a life with Kate. At first he finds it hard
to adapt to his new lifestyle and craves the independence and the financial freedom of his old life, but gradually he grows to like the change.

I will say no more to enable people to see the film for themselves!


Characters/Actors
*****************

In recent years Cage has pushed himself towards action movies.In this film, Cage goes back over old ground into previously more familiar territory. Jack Campbell begins as a milder form of Scrooge, not really a bad man though, just very focused on his career and the finer things in life. Given a taste of what could have been he gradually realises that there is more to life than money and you can see this in the way his character changes and adapts gradually, throughout the film. Cage has never really convinced me that he is ?action hero? hero material and his performance in this film plays on his strengths. He plays ordinary people with frailties and weaknesses far better than gun toting hard men. Hopefully he will forget the action stuff and stick with the more family orientated films like this one.


Tea Leoni plays a kind of dual role in the film as Jack's wife and Jack's girlfriend. You mainly see her as the down to earth mother and wife and she is very convincing considering an obvious flaw in the plot. If your husband had a major attack of amnesia, would you take it all in your stride and carry on as normal? In Real life Tea Leoni is married to David Duchovny alias "spooky" Mulder in the X-files. He is a very lucky man is she is a very sexy actress indeed. Before "The Family man" her only other notable roles were in "Bad Boys" (1995) and "Deep Impact" (1998). Her most recent notable screen appearance being as "Amanda Kirby" in "Jurassic Park III" (2001).


Don Cheadle plays Cash a modern day "Marley" to Cages "Scrooge". Cash sets Jack on his path of discovery by giving h
im a "Glimpse" of what could have been. Very charismatic, the character reminded me of a classic Whoopi Goldberg in trousers! You don't see much of this character, but what you do see is well executed. Don Cheadle is one of those actors who has been in many films, but has never really been considered a top box office crowd puller in his own right. To name a few other films that you can see him, "Mission to Mars" (2000), "Traffic" (2000), "Rosewood" (1997) and "Hamburger hill" (1987). There are many more but these are a few that may be worth a look in my opinion!


The rest of the cast performs adequately but one I would like to mention is the young Makenzie Vega. She plays Jack Campbell's young daughter Annie. Annie is a character straight out of the movies of old, big eyes, quivering lips and a simpering little face. Now don't get me wrong, at her age she cannot really be judged on the performance. She does all right but I must criticise the director in trying to overdo the "aaaah" factor. Made to speak with a lisp reminiscent of "Elmer Fudd" I spent most of my time half expecting her to say "I'm gonna get dat pesky wabbit!"


Humour
******

There is a fair amount of humour in the film but it is quite subtle most of the time. There are one or two visual gags, babies peeing for example, but most of it comes from Cages character Jack and his attempts to come to grips with family life having been thrown in at the deep end. It did make me chuckle, but there are no barrel laughs to be had.


Romance
*******

Well with Tea Leoni, you just need some romance! One interesting and major plot theme throughout the film follows Jacks new found relationship with Kate. You can just imagine the difficulties of suddenly finding yourself in a relationship, where one partner has been involved in it for thirteen years and the other
for one day! It is a romantic film, not on the scale of "Sleepless in Seattle" but it does have some very touching moments.


Music
*****

Not really a really noticable aspect of this film. The usual background "fluff" music but other than that ,nothing to write home about. You do however, get to hear Cage sing. But take my advice put some earplugs in when this comes on!


Direction/Script
****************

Other than "Rush Hour 2" (2001) the films director Brett Ratner has done little of note. The direction is fine, nothing outstanding. The pace can be a little slow at times but as this is not an action movie so you can forgive him for that. One thing he does manage to create is a real Christmas feel to the film and it has that feel good factor that this type of movie can often lack.

David Diamond (VI) wrote the script. It's not Shakespeare and there are some flaws as I have already mentioned, particular in the characters general acceptance that it is quite normal for a man to become an amnesiac over night. Even more worrying is that they all mill about as if everything is normal. However, he is a pretty inexperienced writer and the story is still entertaining, despite a lack of general character development i.e. Characters come and go with little relevance to the story and little interaction.


Overall View
************

Well, I liked it. If you are looking for a fairly decent feel good film to watch around Christmas time then this is one for the list. Some good performances by the cast make the most of a mediocre script. Loosely based on the "Scrooge" idea in a modern setting. Some romance, some laughs it is an easy going film that you can just sit and watch without having to concentrate hard. For me it did make me think back to some of the decision I have made in my life. What would have happened if? That sort of thing. You too may find y
ourself doing this, it is quite thought provoking in this way. As I've already mentioned, not a totally original idea, but a nice adaptation. Rated 12 for some reason, personally I would think it suitable for viewing at any age, although very young viewers may not fully understand the plot. The film is available on both video at £13.00 and DVD at £18.50. Possibly one to buy if you are really keen on these comedy/romantic/feel good films as you may like to play it every year at Christmas!


Other films to note
*******************

If you like this film you may want to view the following films:

"A Christmas Carol" (1984) directed by Clive Donner, and starring George C. Scott. Many films have been made of this Dickens classic, but this is a nice glossy affair and one of the better ones in my opinion.


"Scrooged" (1988) directed by Richard Donner, starring Bill Murray. This is a very funny take on the classic story. Bill Murray is great, but if you hate Bill Murray, then forget it as this won't be for you!



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