30 Second Bottom Line: More than a decade after dumping his girlfriend for an internship in London, while she stayed in law school in the states, a single, wealthy banker wakes up on Christmas morning to find himself married to his old flame. Along with the wife are two children, a small house in the suburbs and friends who love bowling.

Story Line: Jack (Nicolas Cage) and Kate (Tea Leoni) are young lovers at the fork in the road of their romance. He is about to get on an airplane taking him to England. He thinks the relationship will survive (if he cares at all) his internship in London, while she remains in law school. She looks at him and says that she "feels" this is the moment of decision. They either make it now or love will fade. That was in 1987. Thirteen years later, Jack is a successful banker with a $100,000 sports car, a swank apartment, girlfriends who look like models and a closet full of clothes larger than many living rooms.

Jack is a Mr. Scrooge of sorts, in that he has his staff working late on Christmas Eve and has called a meeting on Christmas Day. After an exciting night in bed with a gorgeous woman on December 23rd, he must spend Christmas Eve alone because she will be with her family. During a stop at a convenience store, Jack observes a tense situation between Cash (Don Cheadle) and the store clerk. The clerk does not want to cash a winning lottery ticket because of the his hip-hop appearance and behavior. Jack offers to buy the ticket and in an ensuing conversation with Cash, he knows that he has met someone who is much different than they appear on the surface. Jack goes home that night and when he wakes up, a woman is next to him and kids are climbing over his body.

Jack thinks he's in some type of dream until he goes to his office and learns that his name is no longer on the building directory; the security people do not recognize him, and he soon realizes his imaginary life is in fact a reality.

Annie (Makenzie Vega, who is deligthful) knows her dad is acting strange but Kate sees her husband as quite normal. Jack eventually adjusts to his new life of being an everyday man…selling tires, going to the bowling alley, and spending time with his kids. A surprise to him is a loving relationship with a wife, the woman he passed on thirteen years ago.

Just about the time he's happy in his new life, Cash reappears and Jack fears that he must go back to his real life. In that life he once again meets Kate, who has become a very successful lawyer. He may have a second "once in a lifetime" opportunity to make her his wife.

Tell Me More About It: Nicolas Cage is intense without his usual over the top acting. He comes across as a believably realistic person, both as a single man, and when he is a Family Man in his altered state. The chemistry between Cage and Leoni is engaging and you care about his family. Touching scenes we can relate to, such as changing a diaper and Annie's lisp, make Jack's dream state very real.

In Deep Impact, Tea Leoni was radiant in her role as a news reporter facing death with her father on the beach, as a huge tidal wave was approaching. In Family Man she is vulnerable at times yet gets over her disappointments and moves on. All in all, we have a film that realistically deals with how people change. "The perfect life" is something that if missed the first time, and you learn from your experiences, you need not miss the second time…let's hope not because it just might be the last.

Nicolas Cage: Gone in Sixty Seconds	Tea Leoni: Deep Impact
Don Cheadle: Mission to Mars	Brett Ratner: Rush Hour
Makenzie Vega: The Geena Davis Show TV

Jack Campbell: Nicolas Cage	Kate: Tea Leoni
Cash: Don Cheadle	Annie: Makenzie Vega
Director: Brett Ratner