The Weather Man (2005)

Director: Gore Verbinski
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailer, featurettes
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis
Trailer

The latest batch of movies in my mailbox have all starred Nicolas Cage. Which means, several months ago, when I made my selection online, I must have felt that my movie watching menu could use a little dash of Cage. Although I don’t recall now what led me to that conclusion, I find that I’m enjoying the experience of having a Cage-Fest. What’s nice about viewing a series of movies headlined by the same actor, is that it’s easy to compare how an actor performs in certain roles, as opposed to others, and notice their progression in style at varying time periods.

In The Weather Man, Cage plays a middle-aged local weatherman. He is separated from his wife and struggling in relationships with his two children. He constantly feels that his ailing father (Michael Caine) disapproves of him; his career, his attempts at fatherhood, and the fact that he never has more than a dollar in his wallet. It doesn’t help that the general public takes delight in hitting him with fast food. Throughout the film, the viewer is given insight to David’s (Cage) thoughts via first person narration.

I found the vast majority of the film to be very depressing. Here’s our hero, David, trying his best to hold things together, and failing at every turn despite his best intentions. His failure is not set in a comical light, aside from the food throwing, but rather an all-to-realistic one. Some might feel that the realism of the picture is a credit to the filmmakers. However, for me it was a gloomy reminder of the mundane life most of us likely experience and would like to get away from. I suppose that I look to movies for an escape of sorts, and The Weather Man did not provide that for me. But, ironically, it’s the realism of the ending that I liked. All of David’s plans do not come together in a sugary Disneyland conclusion, but rather, it’s culminated in an inner realization that leads to David’s satisfaction with his circumstances.

Nicolas Cage performs well in an underdog role. I think that one of his best aspects is that the audience can sympathize with him and really feels a lift when his characters win. His casting in “bad ass” roles, like Ghost Rider and Wild At Heart are a testament to that. Michael Caine is always Michael Caine. His bread and butter is the stoic wisdom he so easily conveys, and it is rare to see him step outside that mold. Noreen (Hope Davis) is the quintessential ex-wife. (Although she’s a little bit more friendly than Kathleen Turner in The War of The Roses.) Their two children, Shelly and Mike are realistically remote and apathetic. The acting all around was solid and it wasn’t at all a negative aspect of the film.

Most of the movie takes place in Chicago during the winter, which makes everything all the more depressing. However, there are some wonderful shots of the ice and rain. Appropriate, of course, for a movie about a man who predicts the weather. Almost all of the scenes are cityscapes full of taxicabs and highrises. The movies takes place in the current time period, so it’s hard to get too creative with costume and wardrobe design. I will say that the change in Shelly’s dress was a vast improvement. In that regard, I think that the wardrobe was clever. Everyone else’s clothing realistically reflects the suit and tie world of the upper middle class city dweller; mostly greys and blacks and not much flare or attitude.

I think that The Weather Man could have used a bit of comedy here and there to lighten the tone. The movie would have been just as effective in getting the point across, but wouldn’t have been such a bummer to watch. Even the ending is hardly uplifting enough to make the previous 101 minutes worth sitting through. A horrible tragedy would have even given a refreshing change to the tone of the film. But, even when David loses his father, it’s hard to feel much of an emotional reaction. So, if you’re looking for an uplifting tale, The Weather Man is not the movie for you.

Overall Rating: 1 ½
Hottie Rating: 0 (bummer)

Alternate Viewing: Little Children
Official Site
IMDB Site
Frank’s Reel Reviews review

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