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The Family Man (2000)
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Reviews Counted: 125
Fresh: 66
Rotten:59
Average Rating: 5.5/10
Consensus: Despite good performances by Cage and especially by Leoni, The Family Man is too predictable and derivative to add anything new to the Christmas genre. Also, it sinks under its sentimentality.
Theatrical Release:Dec 22, 2000 Wide
Box Office: $73,708,015
Synopsis: Nicolas Cage stars as Jack Campbell, a career-driven workaholic who has everything: an exciting job, a Ferarri, a closetful of Zegna suits, and the attention of any woman he wants. His life changes... Nicolas Cage stars as Jack Campbell, a career-driven workaholic who has everything: an exciting job, a Ferarri, a closetful of Zegna suits, and the attention of any woman he wants. His life changes when, after working a full day on Christmas Eve, he intervenes in a convenience store holdup. The apparent criminal, Cash (Cheadle), speaks to Jack in epigrams about his satisfaction with life. When Jack wakes up the next day, he's suddenly living in a New Jersey suburb, where he's married to his college sweetheart (Leoni) and is the father of two children. At first he is aghast, but Jack soon warms to his new life even though he knows that it cannot last. Unabashedly sentimental, the film is also a great comedy, as Cage gives a superb performance that makes the most of his character's obvious disgust with his suburban surroundings and even allows for a few moments of hysterics reminiscent of VAMPIRE'S KISS. Filled with great performances (notably Ms. Leoni's role as Jack's wife), inspired comedy, and a premise that suggests a slightly darker version of classics like A CHRISTMAS CAROL and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, THE FAMILY MAN is an affecting and entertaining holiday film. [More]
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Piven
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Piven, Amber Valletta, Harve Presnell
Director: Brett Ratner
Director: Brett Ratner
Screenwriter: David Diamond, David Weissman
Producer: Marc Abraham, Tony Ludwig, Alan Riche, Howard Rosenman
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Reviews for The Family Man
Leoni is a revelation. Vibrant and gorgeous, she plays her role of the determined mother in love with teasing, salty charm, providing just enough grit to save the film from Ratner's slushy direction.
A hunk of sentimental fluff that boasts an often-overstated performance by Cage and an annoying turn by Leoni.
It's rare that an American movie lets slip such a snobbish distaste for the humdrum lives of its blue-collar audience base, but of course it doesn't last.
If you're looking for a heartfelt, feel-good holiday movie, just give in and enjoy.
One of the few films this season able to offer something likely to entertain almost everyone.
The makers of The Family Man were trying to do a kind of reverse It's a Wonderful Life without ever realizing that it doesn't work on paper, much less on the screen.
A holiday film Joe Lieberman could love, unembarrassed by its wholesome, sugary pro-family message.
Cage's delivery of the Big Final Speech is strained and uncomfortable, and the film's ending is unsatisfying, offering a conflicted message and only a meager chance of hope.
Succeeds because of a combination of great performances (Tea Leoni is a real standout), a solid script and an ending that is not exactly what you would expect.
Not much more than a contemporary remix of Scrooged, but it's different enough to keep you awake and hipped-up enough to make you like it.
Perfect feel-good Christmas-period family entertainment. Highly recommended.
Cage and Leoni are cute together and struggle mightily, but they can't overcome this sinking ship of a script by David Diamond and David Weissman that telegraphs the ending in the first 20 minutes.
There is not a lot wrong with The Family Man, except for an almost total lack of surprise and a nasty attitude toward exactly the people who are supposed to pay money to watch it.
Okay, so this is kinda corny but hey, it's a Christmas movie, what do you expect? Plus, it's so well done that it doesn't matter that it's formulaic and not very deep.
I was disappointed with its overly sentimental tone and rather questionable message. Are married men with children actually more deserving of happiness than single guys? According to this movie, yes.
Even as the writers spin their entertaining suburban legend, there's a lingering feeling perhaps even they don't really stand behind the statement they're trying to make.
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