Plot: What’s it about?
Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) left his girlfriend Kate (Tea Leoni) at the airport and told her he would return, but she pleaded for him to stay, as she worried she would never see him again. As fate had it, Jack wouldn’t return to her and instead, he became a powerful Wall Street wheeler & dealer, living life in the fast lane. He has more money than he can ever spend, he is respected within his field, and he has more women than he can handle, but he is also married to his job and unable to find a true love to connect with. A phone call from Kate shakes him somewhat, but he decides to leave her in the past and proceed with his lifestyle, as empty as it truly is. He soon enters a grocery store and while there, he calms a man down by offering to buy his lottery ticket, which he claims is a winner. The man is Cash (Don Cheadle) and he talks to Jack about his life, assuring him there’s something he needs, though he isn’t aware of it. Jack takes the ticket and parts company, but when he wakes up, he discovers his life has changed and he’s married to Kate, with kids and a dead end profession. What has happened to Jack and can he deal with this normal life until he is returned to old one, or will he actually learn to love this one?
I wasn’t too taken by the previews for this one, but I decided to check it out, due to the presence of Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni, who I usually like. The Family Man is a predictable, sometimes overly sappy picture, but it is very warm and offers some great moments. It has a lot of laughs, but don’t mistake it for a comedy, it is tragic at times and often dramatic, so don’t expect an all out comedic movie, not by any means. This reminds me of much older films, ones that tried to bolster the human spirit and inspire people, though it doesn’t work as well as some of those did. It is a good flick however and thanks to some great performances, it turns out to be well worth a look. Nicolas Cage is terrific and Leoni does very well with a good sized part, while the supporting cast is also good and provides some solid moments. This might be too sappy for some, but it is a good movie and thanks to a loaded DVD, this is easily worth a rental or purchase.
I’ve always loved her work, so it was great to see Tea Leoni in a larger role than usual, to be sure. She has been in a number of flicks before this, but she is often limited to smaller parts, which she can handle with ease. I was looking forward to this movie to see her in a more leading role and I wasn’t let down, as she is terrific and steals many of her scenes, very impressive indeed. She is able to deliver even the smallest of subtle notions, often with just a look or movement, which is rare in modern actors, to be sure. I would love to see her in more lead roles and since she is also gorgeous, it never hurts to see her in smaller ones either, if you ask me. You can also see Leoni in such films as A League of Their Own, Deep Impact, Jurassic Park III, Flirting With Disaster, Wyatt Earp, and Bad Boys. The cast also includes Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas, 8MM), Don Cheadle (Swordfish, Boogie Nights), Jeremy Piven (Grosse Pointe Blank, Very Bad Things), and Saul Rubinek (The Contender, True Romance).
Video: How does it look?
The Family Man is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is another good looking transfer from Universal, also some edge enhancement and other flaws can be seen at times. I was never too distracted by the edge enhancement, but I do think Universal should refrain from this practice, or at least ease off somewhat. Even so, this is a good looking transfer and both fans & newcomers should be pleased. The film’s warm color scheme comes across very well, rich hues and natural flesh tones, no problems in the least. I saw no errors in the contrast either, as shadows were well defined and no detail loss is evident, another terrific effort from Universal.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release includes dual 5.1 surround options in Dolby Digital and DTS, but this simply isn’t the material to demand such treatment. The surrounds are used very rarely, even the score remains in the front channels most of the time. This might let some folks down, but I feel the mix is naturally this way and as such, this was the correct fashion in which to present the film’s audio. It all sounds very good, it just lacks the immersive traits and range we’ve come to expect. The dialogue is rich and never hard to understand however, which is the main issue in this case. If you’re wanting to know which of the two stands up better, the DTS has a narrow advantage, but neither one will blow the doors off, not by any means. This disc also includes a French language option, as well as English subtitles, in case you’ll need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc is labeled as a Collector’s Edition and trust me, it more than deserves that moniker. You’ll find a total of three audio commentary tracks, including one with Brett Ratner and writers David Diamond & David Weissman. This is a light, but informative session and the three joke around a lot, so it never becomes too bogged down. I was pleased with the overall amount of information, although it still isn’t one of the better tracks I’ve listened to, to be sure. Next is a track with producer Marc Abraham, who is very serious and provides a decent track in terms of content, but his delivery is quite deadpan and dull. Even so, his comments are worth a listen and as such, I think it’s worth the boredom to uncover the information. The final session is with composer Danny Elfman, who offers some insight into the process of creating the music, very cool indeed. He seems very open and talkative, although some silent spots do emerge, in the end. All in all, these three tracks combine to provide an in depth look behind the scenes and if you loved the flick, then I recommend you check out all three sessions.
You can also view a selection of nine deleted scenes, which aren’t too impressive, but do offer some interesting moments. I thought most deserved to be removed, but a couple were cool, though I am unsure how well they would have fit into the final flick. A twenty minute behind the scenes featurette is packed in here also, which is promotional in nature, but has some decent content as well. The interviews are better than expected, but still lack the substance I would have liked, though this is better than most fluff pieces. You’ll also see some behind the scenes clips in the featurette, though nothing too revealing, which is a let down. A series of outtakes offers some humorous moments, while the “Hi Jack” montage is fun to watch also, a cool inclusion. This release also includes opening sequence with alternate music, some production notes, talent files, DVD ROM content, music video by Seal, a Choose Your Fate game, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
