By Geno McGahee
There are good actors, great actors, and then there is Nicolas Cage. He is in a category alone, a special gift to film that is easily the best over actor of his generation. He is most known for his madness on screen and some even note that his madness exists off the screen too. Whatever the case, Cage is difficult not to like. Even in a bad movie, his performance can make it worth a watch.
THE FAMILY MAN features Cage as Jack Campbell, a rich investment broker, that has lost touch with what Christmas is about. He is closing a big deal and is only seeing the dollar signs…and he is sleeping with some hot chicks. Rich and sleeping with babes…what the fuck am I saying? That can’t be anything but what Xmas is about, right? What message is this film trying to put across? Are they saying that being wealthy and screwing hot babes is not a merry life? I beg to differ! Fuck that noise.
While getting eggnog at a convenient store, Cash (Don Cheadle), tries to cash in a lottery ticket, but the cashier refuses to cash it. Cash takes out a gun and tells him to “read the ticket.” Cage (Sorry, I have to call him Cage) offers to buy the ticket off of him to stop the potential tragedy, and he agrees, leading the two to walk down the street and converse. Cage tries to give advice to Cash about changing his ways and that amuses Cash. Cash is actually an angel and now gives Cage a “new deal” to work on, giving him a new life.
Cage wakes up next to his old flame, Kate (Tea Leoni), in a small house with two children. Kate was the girl that got away. They broke up after Cage’s career took off and he made the decision to pursue money rather than love. He now finds out just what life would be like had he actually stayed with his girl and ignored his big career opportunity.
It’s a shock to the system and Cage really plays it up. His overacting is in full gear, but I have to say that they got a great over-actress in Tea Leoni to hold her own, screaming in many of the scenes as well. Speaking of over-acting, they threw in a smidge of Jeremy Piven as “Arnie,” Cage’s best buddy. They really wanted to entertain the audience here.
Changing diapers, driving kids to daycare and eating mediocre food is difficult to get used to, but as time goes on, Cage starts to realize that he made a mistake. The money and the babes are great, but he wants to be a family man as the title suggests. The life with Kate and the kids is a far more fulfilling one for him and now he wants to stay, but Cash re-enters his life and informs him that it’s just a glimpse and that it will come to an end.
Right when everything comes together, Cage wakes up and he’s back in his expensive apartment overlooking the city and the family life is gone. He goes back to work and realizes how empty his life is and he gets depressed. Despite the big money deal pending, he opts to go and chase down Kate, who is off to France. He goes to the airport and the two have coffee with the potential that they will reunite and love will conquer all.
It’s not really a happy ending in my opinion. He fell in love with those kids and now they never really existed and even if they fuck that night at the airport, in the airport bathroom, and he knocks her up, she’s still up there in years for having kids and you’re not going to have the same exact kids that Cage became fond of.
THE FAMILY MAN is a mediocre Xmas movie. Cage did his best, but it was just a little soft and empty. I liked it, but it’s not memorable and doesn’t rank among the must sees for the Xmas season.
Rating: 6/10
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