Family Man (2000): Dir: Brett Ratner / Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tea Leoni, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Piven, Makenzie Vega: Depressing version of It's a Wonderful Life where an individual who is not family becomes family. It stars Nicolas Cage as a financial executive who is given a glimpse of his life had he married his college girlfriend. He encounters an angel who just happens to be pulling a gun at the corner store. Could this really be one of God's angels? Holding up convenient stores just doesn't seem ideal. Anyway, Cage claims that he is satisfied with his current life but the angel sends him into the life he never had, which included marriage, children and suburban life. It's a Wonderful Life gains its points by being pleasant, while this modern day version is watered down with its pushy theme and an ending that doesn't work because Cage is expressing experiences that Leoni never lived. Interesting choice by director Brett Ratner who previously had success with Rush Hour. Fine chemistry between Cage and Tea Leoni that works better than anything else in the film. Don Cheadle's angel is a distraction as this warped angel that is perhaps the single worst element of the film. Message stresses the importance of family but it only feels like a modern remake of a film that is far more wonderful. Watch the far superior It's a Wonderful Life and see the difference. Score: 4 / 10

I always tell myself that the final goal of my life is to have a happy family. The way achieve that is to work hard, giving my wife and my children great living environment, which including a nice house, good food, great education chance and so on. these all stuffs are required money. Therefore, in my opinion, working hard and making more money is important.However, after viewing this movie-the family man, I start thinking that am I missing the right track? Do I really know what is the most essential part? Sometimes I am so confuse.The Jack, the main character in this movie, the main reason for him to go abroad is to have a better career, which means a better salary to have a better life with Kate. But the funny thing is that this is exactly the reason they broke up.Maybe, I think, is that having a happy family is not the ultimate goal for Jack, and maybe that is a nice sugar coat for Jack to chase his real goal, like making more money, meeting better world. Because normally, the ultimate goal means the NO.1 thing, the most priority thing that nothing could compare with, if there is a alternative question, you should go with this goal without any doubt.Apparently, staying with Kate is not for Jack, or they won't broke up. So, that will make me think what is the best for my future family? Is going abroad to make more money the best for my future family? Or staying with my girlfriend by missing the excellent career chance? I found the answer in this movie. The answer is love. Love is an amazing thing, it is not about creating something for each other, it is about scarifying for each other for staying with each other. just like the movie said, "I choose us", not a personal purpose, not a personal thought like "oh I think this is the best for us." something like that. It is always about "us", living together, solving problems together, facing difficulty together, raising kids together and so on. If there is a moment that will possibly separate "us", we should reject this moment, we should stick around with each other.Of course, it is not only required love, but also a rational mind, you could not purely choose "us" because you are afraid of lonely, because you just thinking yourself. There could not be a little selfish mind. The choice have to be made rationally by love.I am a person who also choose to abroad for better education, and that would maybe spent 2 years without seeing my girlfriend. But, After viewing this movie, I will still stick with my choice, because I really start understanding what is real means of my ultimate goal. I know maybe sometimes I will miss the right track, fortunately, there is a movie that could always remind me, that could always make me thinking, that could always teach me, this movie is named The family man.

This movie depicts a man who has it all. A high paying job, an amazing apartment, an amazing car, and the opportunity to sleep with any woman he pleases. What if....after an angel shows him what his life would've been if he made one last minute snap decision that would change it all. what if he could have the other end of the "American dream". Jack Campbell must go through the journey of finding out that there is more to life than making money. Personally I HATED it. Instead of Jack making the best of the situation he goes into a hole of self loathing, and the loathing of all those around him. He blames everything wrong in his life on his wife. He does finally "enjoy himself" only to be thrust back into his old life....pretty pointless right? I mean Why him? and what is he supposed to do? chase after the one that got away? procreate the children that wont exist anyway? He fell in love with the life in his "glimpse" and wont love the one he can create. Nice way to make a person who is happy miserable, then happy and then even more miserable...then when they realize it is far too late probably suicidal... Merry Christmas Jack Campbell I hope you enjoyed the ride.

One of my guilty favourite movies that always sucks me right in. Cage plays a rich, ruthless business man who is shown the life he might have led (by guardian angel Don Cheadle )if he'd made a different choice. In A Wonderful Life kind of way he wakes up in suburbia with a mini van, bad suits and a couple of kids, but he also has true love with ex-girlfriend (Tea Leoni).I love the relationship here between Jack and his daughter -its so sweet, she sees through him and thinks he's an alien that's replaced her father.Cage is, Cage but this was made back before he stopped caring so he has some great moments. Leoni makes me smile in every one of her scenes, she's so genuine and happy and goofy amidst the chaos of their life. One of those warm-fuzzy movies. 12.24.13