The Family Man

Plot synopsis:
Jack Campbell is a single Wall Street executive living in New York City. He is in the midst of putting together a multi-billion dollar merger and has ordered an emergency meeting on Christmas Day. In his office, on Christmas Eve, he hears that his former girlfriend, Kate, called him after many years. He walks into a convenience store where a lottery contestant, Cash, has a winning ticket worth $238. The store clerk does not believe Cash, so Cash pulls out a gun and Jack offers to buy the ticket. Jack offers to help Cash. In return, Cash questions Jack, asking him if he is missing anything in his life. Jack says he has everything he needs. Cash tells Jack that actions have consequence and that Jack has brought whatever is coming on himself. Jack returns to his penthouse and sleeps.
On Christmas Day, Jack wakes up in a suburban New Jersey bedroom with Kate and two children. He hurries back to his office and condo in New York, but his closest friends do not recognize him. Jack runs out to the street and encounters Cash driving Jack's Ferrari. We find out Cash is a guardian angel. Cash explains that Jack is experiencing a glimpse of an alternate universe in order to learn a lesson. He advises Jack to take the time to learn whatever it is that he needs to learn.
Jack is living the life he could have had, had he stayed in the United States with his girlfriend. He has a modest family life, where he is a car tire salesman for Kate's father and Kate is a non-profit lawyer. Jack's young daughter realizes his secret, thinks he is an alien and decides to assist him in surviving his new life. Jack struggles to fit into the role of a family man, such as missing opening Christmas presents, flirting with a married woman and forgetting his anniversary. He begins to succeed in his life, bonding with his children, falling in love with his wife and working hard at his job.
At a chance meeting, he is offered a contract to work at the same investment firm from his real life, having impressed the Chairman with his business savvy when he came in for a tire change. His old mentor offers him a job, while a formerly sycophantic employee is in Jack's old position, with an assertiveness he did not possess as a subordinate. While he is wowed by the potential salary and other complimentary extreme luxuries, Kate argues that they are very happy and they should be thankful for their life.
Just as Jack is finally realizing the true value of his new life, he sees Cash again as a store clerk and demands to stay in this life, but Cash informs him that there is nothing he can do. His epiphany jolts him back to his wealthy former life on Christmas Day. Jack forgoes closing the pharmaceutical acquisition deal to intercept Kate. He finds her moving out of a luxury townhouse. Like Jack, she also focused on her career and became a very wealthy corporate lawyer. She only called him to give back some of his old possessions. Before she moves to Paris, he runs after her at the airport and describes the family they had in the alternate universe in an effort to win back her love. She agrees to have a cup of coffee at the airport, suggesting that they will have a future.

Tags: comedy, alternate reality, romantic

Review:
Brett Ratner puts this theme into `The Family Man.' This is not "It's a Wonderful Life."  While it is a "feel good movie," it is an intelligent, reflective one.
Jack, the lead character, is forced from his comfort zone by a "glimpse" of a life connected by commitment and love to friends and family.
Both pro-capitalist and pro-family, "The Family Man" either leaves you pondering whether your life is consistent with your values or goes over your head and leaves you with the impression that your emotions have been manipulated by another crass commercial Christmas movie.
Whatever limitations the film's storyline or premise has, the individual performances rise above it.In the DVD extras there is an interesting comment by the producer where he says he challenges any man to watch the film and not want to live with Tea Leoni and I must say I wholeheartedly agree with him.
I found this movie to be a very nice remix of "It's a Wonderful Life", much like "You've got Mail" is a remix of "Pride and Prejudice" (and totally hints at this within the film).
Without going into too much of the main storyline (you can read the reviews for that) I'll say that this movie is a very touching look at "what might have been." While I'm not a Cage fan, I'll give kudos to him, in that he portrayed his confused character masterfully.
His struggles from realizing that he has left his high-octane business/playboy life for a simple family life are fun to watch.And Tea Leoni....woohoo!Nice holiday movie.
When he finds his old life no longer exists he has to adjust his lifestyle to fit in with his family.With slight comparisons to Sliding Doors in the way the story works and the concept of life altering decisions 'Family Man' is very entertaining, charming and heart warming, not to mention subtly amusing throughout.
While walking home from work on Christmas Eve thirteen years later, Campbell has an encounter with an angel, who gives him a "glimpse." This "glimpse" shows Jack what his life would be like if he and Kate were still together, and, in the end, Jack must choose between his life of riches and loneliness, or a life filled with family and love.The central idea of the film is to show that a person who is rich in material objects often lacks more important things.
Before Campbell's "glimpse," his only motivation is money and most of the movie is filmed at his office, showing he does not have much of a life outside of it.
The Family Man is very heartwarming and funny movie brought by Nicolas Cage's great performance as a wealthy business man who has a great job but suddenly things turn around when he wakes up the next morning.
Nicolas Cage was really hilarious in this movie and Tea Leoni had some funny lines along with Jeremy Piven.
I really believe this movie can improve your relationship with a romantic partner.I don't think anyone could've played Jack Campbell better than Nicolas Cage.
Cage plays a rich, ruthless business man who is shown the life he might have led (by guardian angel Don Cheadle )if he'd made a different choice.
In A Wonderful Life kind of way he wakes up in suburbia with a mini van, bad suits and a couple of kids, but he also has true love with ex-girlfriend (Tea Leoni).I love the relationship here between Jack and his daughter -its so sweet, she sees through him and thinks he's an alien that's replaced her father.Cage is, Cage but this was made back before he stopped caring so he has some great moments.
Therefore, in my opinion, working hard and making more money is important.However, after viewing this movie-the family man, I start thinking that am I missing the right track?
Sometimes I am so confuse.The Jack, the main character in this movie, the main reason for him to go abroad is to have a better career, which means a better salary to have a better life with Kate.
But the funny thing is that this is exactly the reason they broke up.Maybe, I think, is that having a happy family is not the ultimate goal for Jack, and maybe that is a nice sugar coat for Jack to chase his real goal, like making more money, meeting better world.
It is one of the time travel films like Groundhog days or Sliding doors, however, it gives me a great impact and deep impression which makes me feel present and see what I really have.
Like other Christmas movies, this film also gives us a wisdom which we have to take more precious values in our lives.
Of course it is a movie, but try to imagine what it means, to run after someone you love, with a crazy story at hand, knowing it is your last chance to make it happen, 13 years later.
All of the actors were believable and Don Cheadle once again gives a stellar performance as Cash - a scary character that helps Nicholas Cage see how his small decisions alter his life.
Subtlety ain't this film's strong suit.Nicolas Cage plays a slick Wall Street powerbroker (the only kind in Hollywood, and probably real life as well) who has it all: money, money, money, and power.
"Ok," says Cash, "but just remember, you got yourself into this." Hmm.The next morning, Jack wakes up in bed with the lovely, the delicious, the married-in-real-life-to-David Duchovny Tea Leoni.
What's going on?Seems Cash is some kinda sorta angel or something (it's never really explained), and he's offering Jack a "glimpse" of what his life would havebeen like if he had stuck with Kate back in the day.
And think about it - how many guys do you know are married to someone who looks like Tea Leoni (and is a nice person, too), who goes to work at a tire place with a song in their hearts, who has a loving family with two perfect kids?
It's all dressed up in low-brow sentimentalism to make it seem like the right choice.Seems to me to be the comfort food of people who made bad choices and want to feel better about staying in that situation rather than doing something about it.What really worries me is that many people are really influenced by movies, and this may lead to people making similar bad choices, which certainly won't end up as phonily rosy as the one depicted here..
There by discovering that his life was not bad but missing something.In this 2000 rendition of that classic film Nicolas Cage plays a similar character, his characters name is Jack Campbell and he's a greedy and self absorbed investment banker who's only goal and love in life is to make money.
Now the only way Jack is ever going to get his old life back is too first learn to live and appreciate life as, "The Family Man"."The Family Man" is heartwarming, charming, sweet, touching and an all around great time for anyone in the mood for a great Christmas fairytale.
All in all Brett Ratner's "The Family Man" is nothing short of beautiful and touching entertainment at it's very, very best and will entertain if not lift you up.Nicolas Cage gives one of the best and brightest performances of his career as first being the stuck up, self absorb Campbell and then slowly but surely changing into the man deep down inside he knows he is.
Tea Leoni is astounding in this as the under payed and over worked wife of Jack in the alternate reality, Leoni plays the part with wit, charm and style and really shows how life as a suburban housewife can be.
But all in all the cast is phenomenal and really shine in this brilliant and beautiful holiday love story."The Family Man" Has always been a favorite of mine to watch at Christmas time mainly because of the story and the message it plays out for you.
It's just such an amazing film and it's so well told and crafted that it at sometimes doesn't feel like a movie with actors, but a really true to life story about a man who lost his way and has to find his way home.
"The Family man" is a motion picture experience that is pretty original and something that you've never seen before , you may think you've seen this kind of story before but trust me when you watch it you won't think about comparing it to other films because this one is a one of a kind modern classic..
On Christmas Eve, while at a convenience store, he runs into a semi-helpful black guy (well it IS a fantasy movie, I kid of course.), who offers him a glimpse of what life would be like if he had stayed with a previous girlfriend.
The Family Man is a Brett Ratner Christmas time drama movie starring Nicholas Cage, Tea Leoni, and Don Cheadle.
Cage can be both funny and very serious depending on what's going on at the time in this movie, and he's impressive at both kinds of acting.
But from the first time I saw the preview, I wanted to see "The Family Man."  Not only do I adore Nicolas Cage, but this movie deals with the age-old question, "What if???"  Who hasn't wondered where life's road would have taken them had they made one different choice?
What is so magnificent about this movie is the way that it makes you turn to your friends and family and lovers and thank yourself for all the choices you've made in your life to bring you where you are at that point.
And if you are unhappy at that stage in your life, it makes you feel like you can change it.I totally recommend seeing this movie and reading much deeper into it than you feel you have to.
Jack, played by Nicholas Cage, is given a "Glimpse", a look at a life that he could have had as a family man, with his former girlfriend Kate.
For Jack, this fork came in deciding to leave for London for a yearlong internship, one he had worked very hard for, or to "forget the plan" and stay, choosing the relationship with Kate.The Family Man's theme also reminds me of another classic film about what matters most in life -- Orson Welles' masterpiece, Citizen Kane.
I won't give anything away about how Jack responds in The Family Man, but you must watch this film to see for yourself.Director Brett Ratner's use of camera angles in certain scenes of this movie enhance the suspense of which life Jack is waking up to – the high-profile, rich life or the modest, family life.
passion plays out.Ultimately, The Family Man leaves us to question which path we as the viewer would take if we were in Jack's shoes, and also asks us to take a more introspective look into our own lives and consider the choices we have made.
I am watching this movie( for the second time B2B ) and I am at the point where Jack (Cage) and Kate (Leoni) are fighting for a piece of cake...
I think Téa Leoni is a VERY beautiful women ....among the best!Well, whatever the reason you watch it for, rest assured that you won't be disappointed.There is something about Christmas movies and this one definitely fits the bill.BTW it's comparison with Capra's 'It's a wonderful life' is unfair.
If your dream life is millions of dollars and 12 hour work days, you may think Jack Campbell a fool for wanting a family.
Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni are great, but it follows the role of a conventional love story with plot holes.
THE FAMILY MAN / (2000) **1/2 (out of four)By Blake French:	The main character in Brett Ratner's fresh romantic drama, "The Family Man," is an enormously wealthy Wall Street businessman named Jack Campbell, played by Nicolas Cage.
The most obvious mistake "The Family Man" makes is showing us what a wonderful life Jack has at the beginning, and how it actually decreases in quality in his alternate lifestyle.
Cage's character (Jack) gets a "glimpse" of what his life would have been like had he married Tea's.
People that truly enjoyed the simple things and loved being a family.This movie is a much watch for that reason and will always remain a Christmas favorite of mine..
"Mr. destiny," "It's a Wonderful Life," "Sliding Doors" are a few that come to mind, all good films."The Family Man" doesn't disappoint either.
The family man manages to capture real people and real life in a way that no other movie manages to achieve.
And in fact, dreams do whatever they want, so there it is.Add this to the growing list of movies that play with this profound and fun idea of seeing what your life would be like ifif whatever, if things had been different, or if you had been better.
Tea Leoni is well worth a mention as Cage's long lost love, but this just doesn't have enough to get it into the upper level of good movies.
In The Family Man Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) gets to see what his life would be like if he had decided to stay in the US and marry his long time girlfriend Kate, apposed to going to England for some internship that later lands him a big job at a huge corporation on Wall Street.
It is left for us at the end to wonder if he CAN build that life he has seen, but we can see he is finally being true to himself, and will build that life and family in whatever way unfolds before him.Nicholas Cage, Tia Leone, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Piven, the great Saul Rubinek, EVERYONE is outstanding, the writing is perfect, the filming has power and impact.
Career or love?The movie is in very high quality, the family Jack has if he made a different choice is really well done to the last detail, he has friends, he has his daughter drawings in his work office, he has pictures of him and his wife and his children, video tapes from his marriage anniversary, the movie makers did incredible job putting all this up making you feel like this thing is real.Very recommended by me..
The Family Man is one of the great "What If" movies of all time!.
Groundhog Day and Mr. Destiny are both great movies but neither leaves you with the feeling of happiness and contentment that The Family Man does.
This movie was all over the place...it tried real hard to make me sympathize with Jack but it was hard when he was being so selfish with his "I don't like this life I'm in" stuff.
When you think about it, its not so easy, just as it isn't easy to make people laugh.Nicolas Cage is convincing as a man put into alternative reality angry and confused but at the same time puzzled - is his life all it could be and could it be that the alternative Jack is genuinely happy?
This film begins with an engaged couple by the names of "Jack Campbell" (Nicolas Cage) and "Kate Reynolds" (Tea Leoni) exchanging farewells at an airport with the understanding that they will be together again within a year or so.
What starts out as a light life change comedy turns into a drama with a message to all those in the rat race.Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni play well against each other in a movie which is more than the some of it's parts.
You Asked For It. Truth be told, "The Family Man" is the best movie i have ever seen, and it also contains deeper life meaning to teach us that FiNding happiness is very easy.
Of course, the cast is good.Cage did the wonderful job in the film, and Téa Leoni is beautiful and acted so well.
Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage), a successful Wall Street CEO who works late on Christmas Eve wakes up next day, as if by magic, in an unknown bed with the ex-girlfriend Kate (Tea Leoni) and two unknown kids who call him Daddy- which is a "glimpse" of what it would be like to experience a less charming life.
I enjoyed watching this one; it's not an action movie in any way - it's rather a story of "what would happen if i acted differently 10-15 years ago" and it's told from one perspective like it was some sort of a character study - the main character, Jack, is played by Cage in a way very similar to the role he played in "Matchstick Man" (in both of this films his characters are discovering themselves) but without all the nervous ticks, of course.
Cage stars as Jack Campbell, a hotshot Wall Street broker who's wealthy and successful, but by chance receives a phone call that makes him wonder what his life would have been like had he stayed with his college sweetheart.
This movie is one of Cages' best films to date, he plays a highrise business man who gets to glance at what life would've been like if he had stayed with his fiancee,(played by Tea Leoni) and not gotten on a plane that would seperate them.
I saw this film for the first time in the theaters and thought it was good, it's heartfelt, funny, and a good way help people remember what's important in life money or love.
The film is basically "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Carol" sort of movie rolled into one, with a little bit of a twist to it.
Keep up the good work Brett!If you're into romantic movies, the I think you will like this film.
Wonderful performances from Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni.A movie that makes you think about what is really important in life..