Plot
A fast-lane investment broker, offered the opportunity to see how the other half lives, wakes up to find that his sports car and girlfriend have become a mini-van and wife.
Release Year: 2000
Rating: 6.6/10 (47,214 voted)
Critic's Score: 42/100
Director:
Brett Ratner
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Don Cheadle
Storyline A modern-day Frank Capra story. Jack Campbell, a successful and talented businessman, is happily living his single life. He has everything, or so he thinks. One day he wakes up in a new life where he didn't leave his college girlfriend for a London trip. He's married to Kate, lives in Jersey and has two kids. He, of course, desperately wants his life back for which he has worked 13 years for. He's president of P. K. Lassiter Investment House and not a tire salesman at Big Ed's. He drives a Ferrari and not a mini-van that never starts. And most importantly he doesn't wake up in the morning with kids jumping on the bed. After a bad start, day by day he's more confident in his new life and starts to see what he's been missing. Turns out money's good to have but that's not everything.
Writers: David Diamond, David Weissman
Cast: Nicolas Cage
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Jack Campbell
Téa Leoni
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Kate Reynolds
Don Cheadle
-
Cash
Jeremy Piven
-
Arnie
Saul Rubinek
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Alan Mintz
Josef Sommer
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Peter Lassiter
Makenzie Vega
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Annie Campbell
Jake Milkovich
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Josh Campbell
Ryan Milkovich
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Josh Campbell
Lisa Thornhill
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Evelyn Thompson
Harve Presnell
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Big Ed
Mary Beth Hurt
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Adelle
Amber Valletta
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Paula
Francine York
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Lorraine
Ruth Williamson
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Betty Peterson
Taglines:
What if you made different choices? What if you said yes, instead of no? What if you got a second chance?
Opening Weekend: £521,322
(UK)
(24 December 2000)
(316 Screens)
Gross: $75,764,085
(USA)
(1 April 2001)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The snow falling symbolizing the changes in Jack's life is an homage to
It's a Wonderful Life.
Goofs:
Continuity:
The front of the collar on Jack's sweatshirt after he walks into the house.
Quotes:
[walking the dog in the snow]
Jack:
If you could take a dump sometime in this century, then we could go home where it's warm.
User Review
Worth watching more than once
Rating: 10/10
"The unexamined life is not worth living." Plato put these words in the
mouth of Socrates. 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. Neither of the parallel lives led by the
main character is shown to be flawless. Both have their attractions. 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. This movie does
something for me few "feel good" movies ever come close to causing. This
movie makes me think about what I really value in life. 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. It depends on what the viewer brings to
the table.
P.S. Tea Leoni's shower scene has got to be the sexiest portrayal of a
movie mom I ever saw.
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