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Jack Campbell, a corporate entrepreneur, is president
of P. K. Lassiter Investment House in New York, making a lot of
money, and is thoroughly enjoying the hard work / long hours,
his fast car, hot girl friend, 2000 dollar suits, a massive living
space and thinks that he is perfectly content with his single
life style and the things that he has acquired. He is at the top
of success, about to close a huge deal.
Then, things change one late Christmas Eve when
he, the last one to leave the office, decides to walk home, stopping
by to buy some egg nog. While in a small convenience store, he
puts himself in harms way to defuse a volatile situation caused
by a disguised angel, Cash (Don Cheadle) who comes to earth to
test human beings. Cash is dressed like a street punk, and is
trying to cash in a lottery ticket at the counter. The prejudiced
Asian clerk refused to even look at the ticket, and tries to throw
Cash out. Cash pulls out a gun. John Campbell steps forward and
calmly offers to buy the ticket, as a business proposition while
looking down the barrel of Cash's gun.
This act of courage and selflessness impresses
both Cash and the heavenly council, and it is decided that John
Campbell has the heart deep inside of himself to benefit from
a glimpse of what he was missing in his life.
Though John goes to sleep in his apartment bedroom,
he wakes up in a suburban, New Jersey house bedroom, in a middle
class neighborhood. He slowly wakes up to his new reality, as
he finds his old girl friend, Kate (Téa Leoni), who now is his
wife, laying across his chest. Soon little 6 year old Annie (Makensie
Vega), carrying her baby brother comes into their bedroom. It's
Christmas day, and the whole family winds up on the bed, exhibiting
a wide range of enthusiasm!
A rather shell-shocked John Campbell throws on
his sweats and stumbles down the stairway, and the doorbell rings.
Kate's parents, people he hadn't seen for 13 years come in bearing
gifts. By some miracle, Jack remembers their names as he lets
them in.
He bolts out the door and takes the family's used
mini-van to the city, only to discover that the doorman to his
luxury apartment doesn't know him. Then, on a trip to his office,
he discovers that his name isn't listed as being the president
of the company in the building lobby. Just then, Cash drives up
in Campbell's Ferraro. Cash briefly explains what has happened
to Jack, and that Jack, through experiencing this glimpse must
figure out what all of this means for himself.
Thus Jack Campbell begins his journey into a life
where he isn't the center of the universe anymore, but he finds
that he is loved and valued and means so much to other people,
and is a better person because of all of them. He rediscovers
that he has never stopped loving Kate, and realizes the value
of her love for him, and how their relationship makes them both
better people. Another surprise he experiences is the joy of being
a father and being loved by children. and the camaraderie of having
good buddies.
The longer he stays in this alternate universe,
the more his way of looking at life is altered, and he realizes
just what he had been missing by just focusing on work, wealth
and living for oneself. He discovers that there is more to life
than just acquiring power, wealth, accomplishments and being committed
to one's work. He discovers the deeper meaning of living and sharing
your life with others, supporting and loving each other, and that
he had never stopped loving Kate.
Of course, this new life style is only a glimpse
of what could be or could have been. Cash reappears, and Jack
wakes up in his old apartment and his old life, which was once
fulfilling, but now very empty and hollow. After checking in with
his work team, assembled to handle a crisis concerning the upcoming
big deal, Jack Campbell calls Kate's current number that she had
left with his secretary just the day before. He finds out that
she is moving with her company to Paris, France, and had come
across an old box of his stuff.
Will he be able to make the most important deal
of his life, and persuade a hardened Kate, who has moved on with
her life, to try another relationship with him, because they have
the possibility of bringing out the best in each other, creating
a rich life / family together based on mutual love and commitment?
This film is a near classic because of a very
good screenplay, inspiring direction, great sets, and a talented
cast. It is a shame that it doesn't have a PG or G rating, because
it has a lot to say about the value of family, love, courage,
self-sacrifice, loyalty and what priorities are important.
The dynamic duo of David Diamnond and David Weissman
were responsible for this nearly great screenplay, which is only
their second screenplay that has been filmed. The script perhaps
needed another rewrite to make it a truly great classic, but it
does work very well as it is. Their next project together was
the film, EVOLUTION.
The fine, inspiring direction was the work of
Brett Ratner, who has a flair for comedy, suspense and poignant
moments, and knows how to pace a film, involving the audience.
He also has done all three of the action comedy RUSH HOUR movies,
and directed the recently released horror suspense crime drama,
RED DRAGON.
Nickolas Cage does a wonderful portrayal of Jack
Campbell who metamorphoses from a money / power oriented business-absorbed
person to a family man who has gotten the deeper meaning of life.
Téa Leoni does a great job portraying Jack's loving,
sensible wife, Kate, who is patient but sticks to her guns with
her husband, who she thinks is having a midlife crisis. She is
willing to work it through with him because "I believe in us."
Leoni also plays Kate's very different counterpart in Jack's real
world, a Kate who also lives for her work, and enjoys collecting
high quality art.
The chemistry between Nickolas Cage and Téa Leoni
sparkles in both worlds.
Makensie Vega is a great little actress at the
age of 6! She holds her own and nearly steals the show in her
scenes with Nickolas Cage, portraying Annie.
Nickolas Cage and child actress Makensie Vega
have some great scenes together. On the second morning of this
new reality, Jack has to change his young son's dirty diaper,
dodging an arched stream of pee, all the while being watched by
little Annie who immediately sees the truth about him. "You are
not really my Daddy, are you?," She asks him. Known that he has
been found out, Jack confesses that while he isn't, he knows that
her real Daddy loves her and will come back soon. Annie pulls
over a chair and stands on it so she can examine Jack's face,
which is identical to her Daddy's face. She reveals to him that
she thinks that he is an alien. put in the place of her Daddy.
She almost starts to cry, but stops when he said that he didn't
think he could handle that. She strikes a bargain with him. If
he doesn't alter her and her brother's brains, and if he makes
chocolate milk, then his secret was safe with her, and she'll
help him until her real Daddy comes back.
Another favorite scene is when Jack forgets the
wedding anniversary. Jack has a power meeting on what to do over
a cup of chocolate milk with Annie, who gives him wise advice,
as he brainstorms ideas with her on how to remedy the situation,
and get back into the good graces of Kate.
Don Cheadle, a very talented, well-known character
actor who excels in supporting roles, does a convincing portrayal
of Cash, the angel sent to earth to test human beings. Cash was
a small role, but Cheadle really brought Cash to life in ways
that must of pleased the director and screenwriters.
Jeremy Piven does a very good job portraying
Jack's best, loyal, supportive buddy, Arnie, in the New Jersey
alternate world, who is a big help to Jack in his adjustment to
being a man dedicated to his wife and family.
The Family Man is rated PG-13 for "sensuality
and some language." Unfortunately, this film is not completely
family friendly. The language in the script has some potty words
uttered by various characters. The sensuality that earned the
PG -13 is probably the cake scene (passionate kissing between
Kate and Jack on the stairs) and the impassioned huggung scene
on the front porch. There is also a scene where Kate is dancing
around nude in the shower, to a Rolling Stones tape. She can be
seen slightly out of focus through the glass door to the shower.
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