What would happen if you’d made different decisions in your life? Would you be the same person you are now? If you could glimpse into your parallel life, would you dare?
Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage), a stockbroker from New York City seems more than happy with his life of big money, fast cars and even faster women! This man relies on nobody and needs nothing.
Once upon a longtime ago he was in love; with Kate his childhood sweetheart Kate (Téa Leoni) , but he broke her heart one day thirteen years ago when he left her at the airport, in hot pursuit of a career in London. Promising he would return one year later, Jack never saw Kate again.
It’s Christmas Eve, and Jack has been working late to secure a billion dollar business merger with his company, he enters a convenience store without any knowledge his life was about to change more than he could ever imagine…
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Awakening the next day beside his childhood sweetheart, Jack is given a glimpse into the alternate life he would have led, if he hadn’t gone to London - a ‘family man’. Jack ‘daddy’ Campbell's life couldn't be more different, he has to come to terms with the knowledge of his career in retail tires – a far cry from his company in the city! But is it a better way of life for Jack, a man driven by the size of his wallet?
This modern day Scrooge (1970)/Sliding Doors (1998) movie is packed with subplots and undeveloped characters with no relevance at all, making it rather disjointed throughout. If honesty is granted, the Family man is more sickening than entertaining. With a less than subtle attempt to reach your emotions, through an overload of gut-wrenching subliminal messages, you may find yourself-reaching for a bucket.
Paradoxically though, this movie does have a feel good factor and if you are prepared for the gooey ‘love wins over money’ predictable story then great, perhaps your bucket will only be filled with popcorn!
