Rating: 
Summary: Funny and Interesting, but Hardly New
Review: The Alternate Reality (TM, Its A Wonderful Life) plot device comes into play again in this film. Nicholas Cage delivers an outstanding performance as Jack, a hollow capitalist. Tea Leoni is his former girlfriend who he married in the "glimpse". At first he fights the whole thing, then he becomes used to his other life and wants to stay there. Cage has lots of funny lines, but the idea is tired. The contrived ending also spoils it a bit, but overall it is an enjoyable movie. I think it could have been more original and provocative if it had been the other way around: if Cage had been the husband and father given a glimpse of what he could have been if he had gone for the career and all the trappings. Now that would have been good, but it would have destroyed that sentimental, holiday theme. Good fun, in any case. -m-
Rating: 
Summary: ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE...
Review: This is a charming, romantic fanatasy. Nicholas Cage plays a slick, single, unemotional, Wall Street acquisitions mogul, who leads a sterile, empty life. He gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to catch a glimpse of the life he could have had, if only he had not separated from his college sweetheart, Tea Leoni, thirteen years ago. Don Cheadle engagingly plays the part of the celestial emissary who affords Cage his glimpse into an alternate life style, one that is complete with wife, kids, a dog, a house in the suburbs, and a lot of friends who care about him and his family. When he returns to his present day reality, he is faced with a choice that can change his future forever. What's a guy to do? Watch the movie and find out. This is an enjoyable, though predictable, film with good performances from the entire cast.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely: Fun, Emotional, Enjoyable, and Entertaining!
Review: I think the title says it all. I do not like to give details, because spoilers, even the slightest, is not proper. We really enjoyed this movie. It was a combination romance, comedy, with a touch of sci-fi! A thoroughly enjoyable movie!
Rating: 
Summary: this movie hurt me
Review: I don't get it. Don't waste time, money, gas, sleep, etc on this trash. Peace to the streets.
Rating:
Summary: Completely Adorable!
Review: It is an outstanding lesson for all adults these days. this movie is fabulous!!!
Rating:
Summary: Hollywood gets it right for a change!
Review: If, like me, you find most Hollywood "love" stories about as warm and romantic as a cold sleepless night in Seattle, then you're in for a surprise. Not since Casablanca have I enjoyed a love story as much, and though they both end at the airport, the similarity ends there. This one is about marriage, family, and the connections and sacrifices that make marriage, parenthood and yes, love, worthwhile. Nicolas Cage plays a harried but driven Wall Street executive playboy who wakes one day to find himself trapped in a life he never wanted, married to the woman he abandoned years ago. It's a living nightmare at first, but the harder he tries to escape it, the more he begins to see that there are values and rewards that he somehow missed in his previous executive penthouse lifestyle. By the end of the movie, he's learned a lesson he will never forget. An unexplainable fantasy in the tradition of "Groundhog Day", you soon find yourself accepting the unexplainable, even as the protagonist himself realizes there is no easy escape from his new reality, and learns to work within it's framework. After all, life throws all of us some unexpected "curves", and like the protagonist in this modern day Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Suburban Bowling League, we can become better people by accepting and embracing the crazy things life puts us through in the name of love. Chalk one up for old-fashioned family values in a feel-good movie with a message, served up without the sappy cliches. Put the kids to bed early (The Family Man deals with some adult issues, and much as I enjoyed it, it would need a little editing before I would consider it a family film!), and just the two of you watch this one together with a bowl of popcorn and a glass of wine - you'll be glad you did!
Rating:
Summary: I was impressed
Review: I must say that I am by no means a fan of Nicholas Cage, so I had my reservations about viewing this film. I was expecting an at least somewhat trite, "been done before" kind of a film, but instead was very pleasantly surprised by a very engaging, watchable and dynamic movie. As another reviewer mentioned, the basics of this story have, in fact, been covered in other movies, but not in the same way. This is a movie that makes you think. I was particularly impressed by the little girl, who playes Cage's daughter Annie (sorry, but I don't remember her name). A scene early in the movie where she questions Cage as to whether he's her "real dad" is what puts everything into perspective. It lets you know where the director's are planning to go with the movie, and how they're going to take you there.
Rating:
Summary: Dead-on.
Review: When I first heard of this movie, the image that came to mind could be summed up as "smarmy." And it easily could have been. They were especially taking a risk by making such an extreme gap between the two potential lives for Cage's character: either a single, wealthy Wall Street exec, or a married, struggling blue-collar worker. But I was wrong. Completely wrong. This movie works at every level. It's funny, and intelligent, and touching all at the same time. I still get teary-eyed thinking of Jack sitting up in a chair at night, trying desperately not to fall asleep because he knows that if he does his wonderful family will be gone and he'll be a rich Wall Street exec again. It's moviemaking at its finest.
Rating:
Summary: Emotional tug, stupid movie
Review: Hey, I love the idea of this movie, even though it has been explored many times before. What would happen if you had changed one thing in your life? Hollywood has long been the king of formula pictures. This is no exception. The problem is this subject has been done so much better on previous occasions. Nicholas Cage plays a mega-rich Wall Street shark. He intervenes in a "robbery" and is catapulted into a different image of his life had he not decided to stay in England when he was younger. From this point on, the movie rides back and forth in a nonsensical journey that ends with a totally unbelievable climax. Wanting to get caught up, I tried to suspend belief. However, the changes in the main character are so contrived it makes it hard to see this as a realistic story. ONe moment he's his jerk self, then a good person, then a jerk, etc., ad nauseum. Just before the end of the movie, he finally changes for real. The dialog is horrible in spots. NO real person would ever say things in this manner. The situations are largely contrived, and the requisite Hollywood setup to make them unbelievable is, astonishingly, missing. The ending is a heart tugger, but is absolutely unrealistic. Back in the "real world" he pulls off a coop that has to be seen to be believed. Nicolas Cage is more wooden in this film than normal. Don Cheadle is absolutely wonderful, but unbelievable. And, Teo Leoni is the shining moment, but only in the "glimpse" (you'll understand if you see it). One more thing. Some of the cinematographic devices in this film are absolutely annoying. When you can pick up on color being used to change emotions, it is intruding into the film. Okay, I lied, one more: The transfer to DVD is horrbile in spots. You can watch the pixel patterns dance during some of the darker scene. Yuck!
Rating:
Summary: GET REAL !
Review: Nicolas Cage was GREAT BUT...It's the ending ... makes no sense!.
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