Amber Valletta Movie:

Editorial Review:
Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) is the quintessential Wall Street shark, scoring killer deals by day and shallow escort sex by night. His round-the-clock routine of empty luxuries is disturbed one lonely Christmas Eve when a gun-packing punk (Don Cheadle)--perhaps an angel of mercy--responds to an altruistic gesture from Jack by giving him "a glimpse" of the life he could have had. Could have, that is, if he had married the girlfriend (Téa Leoni) he'd abandoned 13 years earlier, raised two adorable children, worked in his father-in-law's retail tire outlet, and lived happily ever after in suburban New Jersey. Thrust into this "glimpse" of the path not taken, Jack's a single-malt man in a lite-brew world, wondering if he'll ever return to his "better" life of callous wealth and solitude--or if he even wants to.

Carp all you want about this derivative premise, with its marginal stereotypes and biased embrace of domestic bliss and dirty diapers. The simple fact is, The Family Man works like a charm. Under the assured direction of Brett Ratner (Rush Hour), this holiday crowd-pleaser offers comedy and chemistry in equal measure, making the hilarity of Jack's predicament a smooth catalyst for that rarest of movie romances: the marital love story. Leoni is Cage's perfect match as Jack's idealized but imperfect wife, and the movie's appeal largely derives from its awareness that any life has its pleasures and pains. While it only flirts with the dark desperation that makes It's a Wonderful Life a classic predecessor, The Family Man is an irresistible what-if fantasy, and even its debatable ending rides on a wave of genuine warmth and sentiment. --Jeff Shannon

The Family Man [Region 2] Reviews:
My Favorite Movie
2008-11-22 - I have to say that this is my all-time favorite movie. It's a beautiful romantic movie, and it reminds one of what's truly important in life. Though not specifically a Christmas film, it's great to watch around the holidays. It's very well-written, the acting is great, and it's funny and entertaining. This film is destined to become a classic. I highly recommend it for the whole family.

First experience, FAST service!
2008-09-24 - This was my first ever experience with Amazon.com, and I must say they left a VERY good impression! Family man is a VERY good movie for all the family. a MUST see for any Nicolas Cage fan! You will not be dissappointed.

Quite engaging.
2008-09-15 - The Family Man starring Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni is an entertaining and realistic love story between two people who are destined to be together but in a different life. Cage and Leoni have great chemistry and you believe they are meant to be as husband and wife. Cage plays a work hog who gets a chance to see what his life would have been if he married his past true love. I really like this film and the holidays will be here soon, so why wait order this under-rated gem today!

Great movie - good life lessons
2008-09-11 - My wife loved this movie and I liked it too. The Ferrari scene was good, but more time should have been spent showing the Ferrari sliding around on the winterized streets of New York. Oh, and the life lessons are good - about missed opportunities and such. It's A Wonderful Life retold - with a Ferrari.

Cheers

One of those, "I'm SOOOO glad I saw this!" movies...
2008-07-18 - Just one of those times when I was sitting at the TV channel surfing, and low and behold, "Family Man" came on, the credits and all. It said Nick Cage, and for a second I wasn't sure if I had missed it, or if it was just starting.
I fell in love with Nick in "City Of Angels". Ever since, been one of those "#1 fans", even though I'm in my ... eh hem ... 40's. EARLY 40's.

OK, moving right along, this movie leaves you with that 'stop the world' attitude for a moment, get off, and just have a quick look around before God/ess notices, and how precious life is.

Sure, we ALL have our woes, and whatnot, but we concentrate SOOO MUCH on that ... everyday of our lives!
This movie is that 'helping hand' that reaches out and lifts you out of your strapped and snapped, belted, and welded seat you've placed yourself into, and FREES you, if only for an hour and a half or two, to actually sit back and go, "WOW!!!"

Just get up off your duff and see it, OK? That's all I'm going to say. You can read all the other reviews here to catch a glimpse of the "newspaper" critiques, I'm just here to help you see the bigger picture that I was fortunate enough to witness when I watched it.

Have had it on VHS for the longest time, need to get off my OWN duff, and just order it on DVD from here like I have everyhing else. I'm workin' on it, I'm workin' on it...