- Title: USA: ACTOR NICOLAS CAGE ATTENDS WORLD PREMIERE OF HIS NEW FILM "THE FAMILY MAN"
- Date: 4th December 2000
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 4, 2000) (REUTERS) SCU (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) NICOLAS CAGE SAYING: "I know that a lot of people when we were making the picture were talking about "It's a Wonderful Life." I, to be honest with you, have never seen the whole film of "It's a Wonderful Life," and I need to see it because it seems like I'm going to be talking ab
- Embargoed: 19th December 2000 12:00
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- Location: LOS ANGELES, USA & FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA89SAWPOQ8TBVUPAZXL39MYH67
- Story Text: Marking his first foray into romantic comedy territory after years of action roles, Oscar winner Nicolas Cage attended the World Premiere of his holiday-themed film "The Family Man" a Capra-esque take 'a life that might have been.' It's been seven years since Cage last made a romantic comedy in the vein of "Moonstruck," "Peggy Sue Got Married"
and "Raising Arizona," films which made him famous.
In the meantime, he has busied himself with heavy dramas like "City of Angels" and action movies like "Face Off," "Con Air" and "Gone in 60 Seconds."
It was a bit of a comeback, then, when director Brett Ratner talked Cage into playing the lead role of Jack Campbell in "The Family Man," a holiday-themed movie that is already being compared to classics such as "It's A Wonderful Life."
Cage's Campbell is a high-powered and successful Wall Street playboy who suffers from a lack of emotional depth in his life. On the eve of a huge business deal, which also happens to be Christmas Eve, his life changes forever.
Following a surreal run-in with a mysterious stranger played by Don Cheadle, Cage suddenly wakes up in an alternate lifestyle, where he is married to the college sweetheart he abandoned 13 years earlier. She is played by Tea Leoni.
Soon, he finds himself swapping his sports car for the family mini-van, Aspen ski trips for bowling alleys, and his high-paying Wall Street banker job for a gig selling tires in suburban New Jersey.
Along with the new life come new responsibilities, like caring for his two children, changing diapers and walking the family dog.
It all causes him to question what is truly important in his life.
Ironically, as Cage's character adapts to a happily married life, Cage himself is adjusting to being single.
He recently split from his actress wife Patricia Arquette. But he says he still dreams of being able to successfully mix his professional and personal lives one day.
That doesn't seem to be a problem for Tea Leoni. Her marriage to former "X Files" star David Duchovny is still going strong.
For director Ratner, "The Family Man" marks a departure from his earlier comedies.
He previously directed the outrageous buddy comedies "Money Talks" and "Rush Hour" starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. He calls his latest film a more reality-based comedy.
"The Family Man" opens in theaters throughout the United States on Friday, December 22. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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