Saying that Nicolas Cage is unpredictable is one of the biggest understatements anyone can make. While Cage has proven himself to be a phenomenal actor, particularly in recent years, most people will remember him from the online memes featuring his most bug-eyed, absolutely insane performances. Whether it’s the infamous “I’m going to steal the Declaration of Independence” line from National Treasure or any scene from Face/Off, the Internet loves “Crazy Cage”. 25 years ago, he showed that he had serious dramatic chops when he starred in The Family Man.
The Family Man begins with Jack Campbell (Cage) living what appears to be the perfect life. He’s a wealthy Wall Street executive, he lives in a top-notch penthouse, and he’s a swinging bachelor. Things take a turn after a run-in with a mysterious man named “Cash” (Don Cheadle), and Jack finds himself living a suburban life where he’s married to his old girlfriend, Kate (Téa Leoni) and has two children. At first glance, this might seem like yet another riff on It’s A Wonderful Life, yet it’s Cage’s performance that elevates the film.
Nicolas Cage Brings A Different Kind of Energy to ‘The Family Man’
Throughout The Family Man, Nicolas Cage has the chance to deliver a more subdued, layered performance than some of his fans might expect. Jack seems to be happy in his life as a Wall Street whiz, driving his Ferrari and willing to work through Christmas Eve in order to close a big deal. It’s when he receives a call from Kate that the mask cracks, and the tiniest bit of regret flickers through his face. Cage can say so much with a single look throughout this film, whether it’s loathing or longing.
It also doesn’t hurt that Cage has excellent chemistry with Cheadle and Leoni. Cheadle’s Cash, unlike Clarence from It’s A Wonderful Life, is more chaotic good than good; he’s first introduced when he’s actively trying to rob a grocery store, and winds up taking Jack’s fancy life, which leads to a classic Cage freakout. In contrast, Cage and Leoni’s scenes are heartfelt without being too over the top, and make you believe that Jack and Kate have been in love for years. The ending even features Jack tracking down Kate in his original timeline and passionately declaring his love for her, taking the stock “airport confession” scene from any romantic drama and actually making it work.
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Cage rage included.
‘The Family Man’ Was Written With Nicolas Cage in Mind
You’ve probably heard the phrase “this movie was made for this person,” but in the case of The Family Man, it actually was written with Nicolas Cage in mind. Screenwriters David Diamond and David Weissman unpacked the genesis of the film with SYFY Wire, noting that they wrote the film with Cage’s voice in mind. Diamond also said that setting the film at Christmastime helped further underline the massive shift in Jack’s life:
“Christmas is a time of year when people reflect on their lives…It’s the end of the year, New Year’s is coming, it’s a family time. We didn’t set out to write a Christmas movie, but it felt like the right time of year to set a movie that had these themes … If it was just some random week in May, it might not have that impact.”
Helping bring The Family Man to life was Brett Ratner, who at the time was best known for his work on Rush Hour. The Family Man couldn’t be more different from Rush Hour, as one is a romantic drama with a touch of the metaphysical while the other is an action-packed two-hander between Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. Yet Ratner says it was his favorite film to direct, and credits Cage as a large part of that. “Working with Nicolas Cage was one of the greatest experiences I’ve had working in the movie industry, and everyone who I know who has seen ‘The Family Man,’ everyone tells me how much they love it and how it reminded them of their own life in some small way,” Ratner told Variety in 2017.
The Family Man is more than just your new favorite holiday movie. It’s a reminder that past all the memes and outright bonkers performances, Nicolas Cage is a legitimately good actor.
- Release Date
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December 12, 2000
- Runtime
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125 minutes
- Writers
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David Diamond
- Producers
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Alan Riche, Andrew Z. Davis, Armyan Bernstein, Howard Rosenman, Marc Abraham, Thomas A. Bliss
