The Family Man [Region 2] |  | Director: Brett Ratner
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Tea Leoni, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Piven, Saul Rubinek
Category: DVD
Buy New: $55.34
New (3) Used (3) from $27.06
Rating:  231 reviews
Sales Rank: 229553
Format: Pal
Languages: English (Original Language), Italian (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 2
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 125 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5017239190667
ASIN: B000057X1R
Theatrical Release Date: December 22, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com
Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) is the quintessential Wall Street shark, scoring killer deals by day and shallow escort sex by night. His round-the-clock routine of empty luxuries is disturbed one lonely Christmas Eve when a gun-packing punk (Don Cheadle)--perhaps an angel of mercy--responds to an altruistic gesture from Jack by giving him "a glimpse" of the life he could have had. Could have, that is, if he had married the girlfriend (Tea Leoni) he'd abandoned 13 years earlier, raised two adorable children, worked in his father-in-law's retail tire outlet, and lived happily ever after in suburban New Jersey. Thrust into this "glimpse" of the path not taken, Jack's a single-malt man in a lite-brew world, wondering if he'll ever return to his "better" life of callous wealth and solitude--or if he even wants to. Carp all you want about this derivative premise, with its marginal stereotypes and biased embrace of domestic bliss and dirty diapers. The simple fact is, The Family Man works like a charm. Under the assured direction of Brett Ratner (Rush Hour), this holiday crowd-pleaser offers comedy and chemistry in equal measure, making the hilarity of Jack's predicament a smooth catalyst for that rarest of movie romances: the marital love story. Leoni is Cage's perfect match as Jack's idealized but imperfect wife, and the movie's appeal largely derives from its awareness that any life has its pleasures and pains. While it only flirts with the dark desperation that makes It's a Wonderful Life a classic predecessor, The Family Man is an irresistible what-if fantasy, and even its debatable ending rides on a wave of genuine warmth and sentiment. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews: Read 226 more reviews...
 Jobs vs. Children April 24, 2009
Michael Wycklendt (chicago)
Excellent story line, especially for those transitioning from college into the work world. It makes you think about your own life and what you might want
 This movie left a warm glow in my heart. April 22, 2009
Michael P. Lentz (Columbus, Ohio)
This is one of those movies that leaves a great impression on you. Tea Leoni is my favorite actress of the last 20 years-she's great in this. She has class, beauty--the whole package. Nicolas Cage is also a delight. I like how he chooses all sorts of roles & he sure found a winner in this one. It's simple & complicated at the same time. It's a bittersweet/feel good story with many twists & turns. This is such an underrated film & based on the comments already posted here, many feel the same as I do. One of the best I've seen in years & we should have more quality movies like this.
A More than Passable Romantic Comedic Fantasy April 20, 2009
Mark J. Fowler (Okinawa, Japan)
"The Family Man" is, at its core, a Romantic Comedy, but it is also a fantasy in the "how your life might have been" genre that includes everything from "Sliding Doors" to "It's A Wonderful Life."
Nicolas Cage plays Jack Campbell, an ambitious young man who leaves fiancee Kate Reynolds, played by Tea Leoni, in 1987 to pursue an internship in London. Kate gives him a tearful, prescient speech at the airport about how certain she is that this means the end for them and begging him not to take the flight.
The prologue gives way to thirteen years later where Jack is now President of his own firm on Wall Street and Scrooge-ish Jack gives his employees management-speak encouragement for why they are there working late Christmas Eve - and must return to work Christmas as well. (How many blockbuster mergers and acquisitions are accomplished on Christmas? I'm just askin'.)
Jack is not only a slave-driver boss, he also makes only the most shallow attachments to any women in his life.
His secretary tells him that he has a message from Kate - who he hasn't heard from since you-know-when.
That night Jack interrupts a hold-up at the local convenience store, trying to cool off the stick-up man and save those threatened with a gun. The stick-up guy is played by the always good Don Cheadle and... hey, he's not just a stick-up guy! His exact nature is never exactly explained, but there are several obvious similarities with Clarence the Angel Third Class from "Wonderful Life". For one, he gives Jack, against his wishes, a "glimpse" of the alternate reality life. (For another - he gives Jack a bell to summon him, reminiscent of the part of Wonderful Life where bell-ringing accompanies Angels receiving their wings.
The next morning Jack wakes up - in bed beside Kate, his wife of these many years, along with their two children in their suburban home in North Jersey, where they moved from New York, because that was no place to raise a family.
Since this is a fantasy, no one can say what is the correct way to respond to such a situation, but I'll go ahead and say I found Jimmy Stewart's interpretation better than Mr. Cage's.
Jack is not only no longer a wealthy Wall-Street Investment guy, he now works at his father's retail tire shop. He no longer entertains a string of beautiful women in his bedroom. Instead he bowls with his friend Arnie (a good turn by Jeremy Piven).
We know, because of the formula, that Jack is going to go through a period of disorientation, and we know that we're going to arrive at the place where Jack will regret leaving Kate back at the airport thirteen years ago.
I've said before that my least favorite romantic comedy cliches is the scene where one character goes tearing off to the airport because they made The Big Mistake and to prevent losing The Love Of Their Life, but I'll also go ahead and say that Cage and Leoni do good work in this scene with good words and good direction.
Surprisingly good March 24, 2009
Clint D. Hayes (Dallas, TX USA)
Sometimes modern filmmakers get it right. Tucked in between a number of lackluster efforts, Nicolas Cage did this gem. It's not as universally well-regarded as it is here, but I'm considered pretty fussy when it comes to giving good ratings, and I'm torn between a 4 or a 5. Perhaps it's got a little to do with my low expectations; I passed on it after its lukewarm reviews and watched it only because of my sister's glowing report.
Mostly, though, it's because it's an excellent, affecting film. It could have been played strictly as the contrivance it was, written by the numbers, but the writers did their job. They did what Josh Whedon and David E. Kelly do so well, which is find and mine the real human emotions that would occur in an otherwise outlandish situation. Brett Ratner, for his part, managed to elicit just the right notes out of Cage and Leoni (who's never looked more ravishing; my god), two actors who do well on their own, but their best with the right director. This is definitely Leoni's best performance, and one of Cage's. There are a few moments that don't ring quite true, but they stand out precisely for that reason: They're the exception, not the rule.
I love being surprised by a movie. This one did it, and was an instant favorite.
Great Movie March 1, 2009
ashley
Love Nicholas Cage in this one.. great story line with an emotional ending as well. Would recommend to anyone who loves a good family/love story
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