The Family Man Review (2000) – A hilarious take on the importance of love and the power of second chances!
The Holiday Season continues as we dive right into our next film of the month, “The Family Man”. As we grow closer and closer to Christmas, we potatoes like to take some time to be introspective and appreciate the things we have and the people who are important in our lives! This wonderful movie, is absolutely perfect for that! It’s a favorite that we watch it at least once every Christmas!
Some trigger warnings before we get into it, mild violence/threats with guns, brief physical altercations, reckless driving, and family dysfunction.
We will do everything we can to not give too many spoilers in this review but there are likely to be some, so please take that into consideration and read cautiously.
With this in mind, let’s get into it!
The film opens with a holiday classic trope: the airport scene. We see a man and a woman embracing and kissing while waiting in line at the airport boarding area. Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) is saying goodbye to his long-time girlfriend, Kate Reynolds (Tea Leoni).
As Jack gives Kate a final goodbye kiss and turns to enter the queue for boarding, Kate stops him. She pleads with him, asking him not to get on the plane. He replies by telling her that no one thinks clearly at the airport and that they should trust the decision that they already made, which is for him to go to London for a year to intern with a high-profile bank. Meanwhile, Kate’s been accepted to one of the best law schools in the country. “We have a great plan, honey.”
Kate continues to plead with him and asks Jack to flush the plan and start their lives together right now. He kisses her again, hugs her, tells her he loves her, and that “…one year in London is not going to change that. One hundred years couldn’t change that.”
It’s such a difficult situation and, honestly, we potatoes could see both sides of the argument! On one hand, they have a very solid plan that will allow them both to be successful in life, whether they join back together later or not. On the other hand, the love that they share is so important and long-distance relationships can be so hard, especially back then, but we digress!
With that, Jack steps away to board the plane, leaving Kate in tears. The look of anguish on her face as she watches Jack leave gets to us potatoes every time. Tea Leoni does a fantastic job throughout, honestly.
We then fast forward 13 years, and Jack awakens on Christmas Eve in a huge penthouse suite. A woman who Jack clearly met not too long ago is dressing herself and preparing to leave. After a brief exchange about how much fun they had the previous night, Jack gets up to get ready for work.
We get a fantastic look into his life as a big-shot Wall Street executive, living the high life in New York City. We see him arrive at work, start his day, conduct meetings, discuss mergers, and he even sets up an emergency Christmas day meeting like it's no big deal. Clearly, family is not on his radar.
Toward the end of his day, Jack receives a notice from his assistant that someone named “Kate Reynolds” called. He recalls how close they were 13 years ago and that he almost married her. Ultimately, he decides not to give her a call back, justifying it as Kate simply pining for the “one who got away.” We had to give a giant eye roll on this.
As Jack leaves his office, he decides to walk home instead of driving. As the snow falls and Jack walks though the barren Christmas Eve streets, he stops by a convenience store to grab some holiday egg nogg.
The narrative takes a captivating turn when Jack encounters Cash (Don Cheadle), a lottery contestant with a winning ticket. Cash brings in the ticket to the convenience to be cashed in, but the store clerk clearly has a racist streak and automatically dismisses him without even looking to see if the ticket is authentic!
The tension skyrockets when Cash pulls out a revolver and threatens the clerk. Jack interjects, saying that he’ll buy the ticket from him. Cash pulls the gun on him, but Jack is able to diffuse the situation reiterating that he just wants to make a business deal. Cash accepts and they both leave the convenience store. Even after watching this film multiple times, we were on the edges of our seats during this scene!
After their brief exchange, Jack actually makes an attempt to offer Cash some words of wisdom. Jack tells Cash that he shouldn’t carry the gun around and that he’ll just end up doing something he regrets. Cash’s response is “Wait a minute, are you actually trying to save me?”
They talk a little while longer and end up on the subject of what each of them needs in life. Jack claims that he has everything he needs. “Wow, it must be great being you!”
“You just remember that you did this Jack. You brought this on yourself. Merry Christmas.”
Confused, Jack goes back to his penthouse home where he gets into bed and falls asleep.
On Christmas Day, Jack wakes up in bed next to his old girlfriend Kate! Her hairstyle is different, but it’s definitely her! Jack’s been transported to a suburban New Jersey home, where two kiddos burst into the room singing Christmas carols and asking their “dad” to open presents! Jack, understandably, flips out, gets dressed in the closest clothes he can find, and rushes out of the house! He drives all the way back to NYC, right back to the building where he lives.
He’s stopped by the doorman who tells him that the building is for residents and guests only. Jack once again flips out, demanding to be let into his penthouse, but is turned away again. Jacks anger and freakouts are delivered only as Nicolas Cage can. Nic Cage has kind of a reputation for his seemingly random screaming, but it totally fits in this film! Anyway, back to the film!
He then makes a stop at his office building where the desk clerk stops him and tells Jack that the building is closed. He asks the desk clerk why he feels the need to remind him that Jack is the president of the company. The desk clerk doesn’t seem to care and repeats himself that it’s Christmas and the building is closed. Jack rushes to the directory where he dramatically points to the President’s name on the directory. We zoom into the company president’s name, and, to Jack’s horror, his name isn’t on the directory! His subordinate, Alan Mintz (Saul Rubinek) is now the president of the company!
Jack runs out of the building looking more bewildered than ever when Jack’s own Ferrari pulls up in front of him! Cash waves to him from the driver’s seat and tells Jack to get in. They drive off, and while Jack tries to get his breathing under control, Cash explains to Jack that the new reality he’s found himself in, is a “glimpse”.
He doesn’t give Jack much more info than that but does give him a little bicycle bell.
“Will you come whenever I ring it?” Jack asks, but Cash dodges the question and tells Jack that he needs to get out of the car. Hesitant to leave, Jack tries to get more info, but Cash ends up tricking Jack into getting out of the car, leaving him in front of the beat-up old minivan he took from the New Jersey house.
There’s so much humor sprinkled into these scenes as this rich man comes to terms with being thrust into an alternate reality. What a treat! 😂
Jack drives back to the New Jersey suburb and pulls over to ask a man who’s taking out his garbage for directions. Apparently, this man happens to be a good friend of Jacks! Arnie (Jeremy Piven), Jacks friend, was one of our favorite parts of this film!
He immediately welcomes Jack into his home and says that he was expecting him. Arnie questions why Jack took off on Christmas morning without telling anyone. There are pictures on the wall of the two of them and Jack is able to put the pieces together and realizes that they are supposed to be good friends. Jack loosens up just a tiny bit as they continue to talk, and Arnie offers some great friendly support and advice.
Arnie is such a good friend to Jack, even while Jack is acting like a lunatic due to these crazy circumstances.
Arnie walks Jack to his house, which happens to be right out of Arnie’s back yard. They’re not only friends, but they’re fence neighbors. Arnie offers Jack more words of encouragement and gives him a bit more context about his life and how much Jack has to be thankful for.
Jack hesitantly walks back into his house and Kate gives him a big hug before hanging up the phone call she was on. She then starts to question him herself, asking how he could simply walk out on Christmas morning without telling anyone. She was so worried that she was on the phone with the hospital! Jack makes an attempt to tell her that this isn’t his life, this isn’t his house, that she isn’t his wife, and that he doesn’t have children! She tells him that she’s really mad about all this and that he missed Christmas with his children. She tries to remind him that he spent weeks building a bike for their daughter and didn’t even get to see her open it as a Christmas gift.
He then pulls out the bell that Cash gave him and start ringing it, obviously hoping Cash would show up and help him explain all this. Kate looks super confused, but their daughter, Annie (Makenzie Vega) rides her bike into the kitchen where they’re talking, grabs the bell and says “I like it. Thanks dad!” before pedaling away.
Jack’s response? He says “That’s mine! She took my bell!”
Again, there’s so much hilarious humor throughout as he navigates this new life!
That’s where we’re going to wrap up! The film continues in an admittedly predictable way, but it's really interesting to see how Jack's character develops from being this Wall Street hotshot to suddenly being a family man in the suburbs. It adds a lot of depth to the story and makes you think about what's really important in life. At first, he's really struggling to adjust to his new role as a husband and a dad, but as the movie goes on, you see him growing and changing for the better. He starts to realize what's truly important, and he becomes a better person. It's an inspiring story that makes you think about your own priorities and how you want to live your life.
"The Family Man" does a great job of showing the ups and downs of family life, and it's really interesting to see how Jack changes in the alternate reality. At first, he's totally clueless about being a parent, and it's pretty funny to watch him stumble around. But as he spends more time with his alternate family, and gets some great coaching from his daughter, Annie, he starts to get the hang of it, and you can really feel the love and warmth between them all. The movie does a great job of mixing in some humorous moments with the serious ones, and it's fantastic to see how Jack's relationships with his wife and kids grow over time.
Annie, Jack's daughter, is such a fun character in the movie. She's so darn cute, funny, and oddly mature for her age. She’s the only one who puts it together that Jack really isn’t himself and resolves to help him. She's a big part of Jack's journey, because not only does she help him to figure out day to day stuff, she's also the one who really makes him see how his life could have been different.
Arnie, Jack's neighbor and friend, stands out as one of the best portrayals of male friendship that we have seen in media. He embodies real support, genuine care, and a constructive yet fun vibe in his interactions with Jack. It was so much fun to see Jack and Arnie together!
Navigating male friendships in real life can be challenging. Often, interactions remain superficial, revolving around a single common interest or extremely casual exchanges. Hours can be spent together and yet it will yield no genuine insights into each other's struggles. This is because male relationships are often hindered by societal expectations that are rooted in toxic masculinity.
Our deeply patriarchal society discourages men from showing vulnerability, pushing emotions aside to conform to a stoic and “manly” image. This narrative seeps into friendships, limiting discussions to surface-level topics like sports. It's a lose-lose situation, perpetuating a cycle that stifles genuine connections which can cause a lot of harm.
Bringing this back to the film, watching Jack and Arnie's wholesome, and supportive interactions throughout he film is both encouraging, genuine and heartwarming. Despite Jack's altered behavior in this alternate reality that he was thrust into, Arnie remains supportive and concerned. Striving for such friendships is commendable, yet societal norms often clash with this, asserting that men are not allowed to and shouldn't seek much needed support from each other.
Society falsely claims men don't need support, contributing greatly to real and concerning mental health challenges, such as, battles with anxiety, depression, loneliness and the persistent fear of not meeting societal expectations. The damage manifests in many ways, but it also can be seen in friendships causing them to be superficial exchanges rather than true, meaningful connections where vulnerability is not only welcomed but normalized.
Everyone, regardless of gender, deserves to have deep, meaningful, and lasting friendships. Overcoming societal expectations requires challenging these outdated norms. Redefining masculinity involves creating spaces for authentic, supportive friendships, freeing them from the weight, of the unsupportive, and harmful society that we live in. Far easier said than done, but it is something we potatoes believe can be achieved in time, with healing, self-awareness, and vulnerability.
Arnie and Jack's scenes, are filled with so much humor and warmth, and showcase truly remarkable chemistry. We have to give a lot of credit to Nicolas Cage and Jeremy Piven for bringing these fun characters to life. Arnie's support goes beyond the surface, offering wise advice in a non-judgmental manner. There are a multitude of examples that we could give here, but we want to avoid too many spoilers. If you do decide to watch The Family Man, definitely keep an eye out for Arnie! He’s awesome!
Lastly! Another really fun, and interesting aspect of the film is the connection to one of our favorite Yuletide stories, Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol!” Yes, there’s an alternate reality spin, but you see a rich man who only cares about wealth, status, and his career, be brought outside his comfort zone and shown what could have been. We hesitate to say that this film is directly based on A Christmas Carol, but there’s definitely some heavy inspiration in there and we are here for it!
This wonderful film was written beautifully and encourages us all to think about important topics like our choices, regrets and what it means to be truly happy. Despite Jack coming from a rich background, the film does a great job of making him a relatable character, and it makes you wonder about the choices you've made and how they've shaped your own life. You can really relate to Jack and his struggles to find fulfillment and happiness, even though his situation is pretty unique.
The movie does a great job of showing that money, materialism and capitalistic “success” truly isn’t everything! It serves as a reminder that simplicity and genuine relationships are key to a healthy, well-rounded, and fulfilling life. It's a thought-provoking movie that sticks with you long after you've watched it!
"The Family Man" is a must-watch! It is a great reminder that it's never too late to make a change and that some of the best things in life can be found in the relationships we cultivate and the love we share. If you are someone that enjoys feel-good movies with a great message than this is the film for you! Have a fantastic holiday season! Happy Holidays from us potatoes to you!
We give The Family Man 4 Spiked Egg Nogs out of 5!
The Family Man Drinking Game
Take a sip anytime:
1. Jack yells or screams
2. A bell rings
3. Jack's friend, Arnie, is a good friend
4. Kate looks at Jack weird
5. Annie teaches Jack how to parent
6. Kate forgives Jack for crazy behavior
7. Jack mentions his old life
8. Jack fixates on money or talks about deals
9. Evelyn flirts or is inappropriate with Jack
10. Jack complains
11. Kate is confused by Jacks behavior
12. Kate says "I choose us"
13. Jack talks about or fixates on money
14. Jack is selfish or vain
15. There's a sweet or tender moment between Jack and Kate
16. Jack and Kate bicker, fight, or argue
What did you think? Did you like the movie? Did you hate it? What movies should we watch? Any and all thoughts are welcome! Let us know here in the comments and always remember to be safe and drink responsibly!