This movie left me feeling very depressed, and I have no idea why. It was not what I had expected. The advertising had made it seem like a comedy, and yet this film had deeper undertones. Very intense undertones.
Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) is a go-getting Wall Street wheeler-dealer who has a life where he can afford to buy anything he wants, go anywhere he wants. He drives a Ferrari and is so driven that he looks down on those who work for him, who have family commitments. His self worth is based on the $$$ he can make, what they can buy him, and his own importance. His $2400 suits for instance.
In a cross somewhere between ’’Scrooge’’ and ’’It’s a Wonderful life’’ this movie gives a glimpse of what might have been.
It is Christmas Eve and the firm that he is President of, is in the final stages of a deal. Ignoring the wishes of his colleagues, he pushes a meeting until almost 8pm, telling them they can have the time off with the family once the deal is closed.
On his way home, he stops at a little convenience store. Whilst purchasing egg nog, he witnesses an altercation between an angry young black man and the assistant over a lottery ticket. He offers to purchase the ticket from the young man for $200, telling the young man that it solves the problem for everyone and makes him (Nicolas Cage) $38 in profit. As they leave the store, he is encouraging the young man to turn his life around. When the young man challenges him about wanting everything, Jack tells him he has everything he needs.
Jack goes home to his immaculate suite, lies down on his bed ... and wakes up next morning next to his childhood sweetheart (played by Téa Leoni). Two kids come into the bedroom, and they are supposedly his. The little girl, Annie, later becomes his aide, asking him plaintively one day ’’ you’re not really my dad are you?’’ She gives him directions of the daily routine, where she goes to school, where he works, etc.
An attempt to go to his ’’old’’ life is thwarted when nobody recognises him. His old colleague is now the President and the company is family-orientated.
The movie then follows Jack in his ’’new’’ life until the twist in the tale ending.
This was an excellent movie, Téa Leoni has come a long way since her first years of rather ineffectual acting. She complemented Nicolas Cage well, and played the part of his wife, brilliantly. The little actress playing Annie (Makenzie Vega) was brilliant. She is a future star.
My only disappointment was that this was such a HEAVY movie. I wasn’t in the mood for heavy when I watched it, and had expected some light hearted frolic. This was like a punch in the stomach, and left me feeling very morose. I feel it needs to be billed as something more serious than it has been.
However, it was definitely worth watching.