The Family Man, A Christmas Movie Tradition

The Family Man DVD

Have you ever wondered how different your life would have been had you made another choice, and taken another road at a key time?

Well, that's the premise of The Family Man; except the successful Wall Street President Jack Campbell, played by Nicolas Cage, seemed perfectly content with his apparent rise to the top until an Angel, played by Don Cheadle, brings upon 'a glimpse' of what Jack's life would have been like had he married his college sweetheart, Kate Reynolds, played by the beautiful Tea Leoni.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately (depending on how you view life), unmarried Jack goes to bed in his very expensive Penthouse condo perfectly content on Christmas Eve, and without notice or warning, wakes up on Christmas morning living in 'the burbs' married to Kate for the past thirteen years. They have two little kids named Josh and Annie. Of course, the look on Jack's face at that moment in the movie is what draws you completely into the story.

Jack's mission, although never clearly stated, is to learn about love, and probably the most profound lesson that Jack learns is the love he has for his family, a family he didn't have or think he needed, much less wanted. He also finds that his love for Kate never ended; a testament to the definition of true love.

Jack finds his way, and finds happiness in his new family life, however he knows he'll be taken from it as quickly as it was thrust upon him. The sense of losing the family he now has and loves becomes a much larger loss than the loss of his money and status was.

Once back into his very wealthy, successful existence, Jack takes steps to contact Kate and reaches out to her in a way that he never did thirteen years previous.

Here's a scene from the movie, nearing the end of his 'glimpse' - Jack had found a way back into the corporate world he was aces at, and was surprised when Kate was less than thrilled about moving into a new up-scaled life:


Have you seen the Family Man? - I've watched it twice so far this Christmas Season :)

by Barbara Tremblay Cipak
Funkthishouse.com

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