The Family Man
| The Family Man | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Brett Ratner |
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| Written by | |
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| Music by | Danny Elfman |
| Cinematography | Dante Spinotti |
| Edited by | Mark Helfrich |
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Production
companies |
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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126 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $60 million |
| Box office | $124.7 million |
The Family Man is a 2000 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Brett Ratner, written by David Diamond and David Weissman, and starring Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni. Cage's production company, Saturn Films, helped produce the film. The film centers on a man who sees what could have been had he made a different decision 13 years prior.
Jack Campbell is a single Wall Street executive living in New York City. He is in the midst of putting together a multi-billion dollar merger and has ordered an emergency meeting on Christmas Day. In his office, on Christmas Eve, he hears that his former girlfriend, Kate, called him after many years. He walks into a convenience store where a lottery contestant, Cash, has a winning ticket worth $238. The store clerk does not believe Cash, so Cash pulls out a gun and Jack offers to buy the ticket. Jack offers to help Cash. In return, Cash questions Jack, asking him if he is missing anything in his life. Jack says he has everything he needs. Cash tells Jack that actions have consequence and that Jack has brought whatever is coming on himself. Jack returns to his penthouse and sleeps.
On Christmas Day, Jack wakes up in a suburban New Jersey bedroom with Kate and two children. He hurries back to his office and condo in New York, but his closest friends do not recognize him. Jack runs out to the street and encounters Cash driving Jack's Ferrari. We find out Cash is a guardian angel. Cash explains that Jack is experiencing a glimpse of an alternate universe in order to learn a lesson. He advises Jack to take the time to learn whatever it is that he needs to learn.
Jack is living the life he could have had, had he stayed in the United States with his girlfriend. He has a modest family life, where he is a car tire salesman for Kate's father and Kate is a non-profit lawyer. Jack's young daughter realizes his secret, thinks he is an alien and decides to assist him in surviving his new life. Jack struggles to fit into the role of a family man, such as missing opening Christmas presents, flirting with a married woman and forgetting his anniversary. He begins to succeed in his life, bonding with his children, falling in love with his wife and working hard at his job.
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Wikipedia