FemaleFirst.co.uk: DVD: The Weather Man [DVD] [2005]

The Weather Man [DVD] [2005]
enlarge	Directors: Gore Verbinski, Phedon Papamichael Actors: Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis, Nicholas Hoult, Michael Rispoli Studio: Momentum Pictures Category: DVD List Price: ~~£17.99~~ Buy Used: £0.97 as of 21/11/2009 20:54 GMT details You Save: £17.02 (95%) New (28) Used (30) Collectible (1) from £0.97 Seller: jons_bargains Rating: 30 reviews Sales Rank: 22743 Format: PAL Language: English (Original Language) Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over Region: 2 Number Of Discs: 1 Running Time: 98 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 5060049147741 ASIN: B000FBHR8M Theatrical Release Date: 2005 Release Date: July 24, 2006 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days


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Customer Reviews: Showing reviews 1-5 of 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next » quirky and excellent October 24, 2006 S. Horne 11 out of 11 found this review helpful As another reviewer pointed out, this film does not fit in any one particular genre, so those expecting the usual brand of comedy will probably be disappointed. Where is the low-brow or no-brow usual brand of big box-office hit humour? Well if you want that, maybe you had better look elsewhere. This does have funny moments in it, but this is more a study of when things fall apart, and it's very well done, the melancholy and desperation in the film somehow do not leave you depressed, only impressed by the acting and the quiet beauty of the film. br / br /Henry David Thoreau said that most men led lives of "quiet desperation", and this can't be better portrayed than here. David Spritz, aka Nicholas Cage, tries to keep himself from falling apart, but his anguish is palpable. He knows at best his weather reports are rough estimates, "it's just wind." His life mirrors his work, as his loss of absolute control over the weather reports is mirrored by his loss of control over events in his life, his father's illness, his children's teenage angst and his estranged wife whom he tries to win back but fails. br / br /As things worsen in his life, he seeks solace in archery, and watching him concentrate on this you get the impression it has a meditative quality to it, the control he has over this sport is in complete contrast to the rest of his life. Somehow the archery scene manages to capture an essence of him re-adjusting to his new life, how he is finding new strength within when things are falling apart without. br / br /It is difficult to write the feelings and impressions you are left with after watching this film. It's something that might make you think about your own life and how you are living it. It will probably make you acknowledge the fleeting nature of the world we live in, and if you have ever had to juggle work with difficult life issues, then you will probably find some solace here. It's simply superb. The acting is excellent, and the under-emotional performances work very well here. It all adds to the futility Spritz feels, the loss of control the cold, grey, life he lives and the constant ticking of time, also not on his side. br / br /In summary, I found this film beautiful in it's sparse nature, it captures the struggle life can be and the façade we all have to put on whilst dealing with difficult elements in our lives. It does so with humour, pathos, and excellent character portrayals. It's well worth a look. br / The Weather Man is quite an American accomplishment August 12, 2006 Daniel Jolley (Shelby, North Carolina USA) 16 out of 22 found this review helpful I've never been much of a Nicholas Cage fan, but his performance in The Weather Man has finally put him over the top with me. From now on, I actually am a Nicholas Cage fan. I think he turns in a marvelous, make-it-or-break-it performance in this film. Only a handful of actors could have made The Weather Man work. It's an unusual film that doesn't really fit into any genre out there - I certainly wouldn't think of it in terms of a comedy. There's a real indie, certainly dramatic, feel to this whole production; depressing and unsettling, it affects the viewer in an odd, unique way. I doubt anyone walked out of a theater screening of the film laughing or even talking very much - except for those complaining about how boring the whole thing was. In all truth, this is a film that will disappoint a significant minority of viewers. On the other hand, I think many will agree with me that The Weather Man achieves a really weird level of brilliance. br / br /This is a hard film to describe. None of the official or editorial plot summaries come close to capturing the atmosphere and emotional resonance of what takes place. Dave Spritz (Nicolas Cage) is the very epitome of the angst-ridden adult, a man simply writing in quiet desperation. None of his dreams have come true, he feels like a total disappointment to his famous author of a father (Michael Caine), he's estranged from his ex-wife (Hope Davis) and increasingly out of touch with his two children, and he just can't seem to get himself together, no matter how hard he tries. All he has right now (besides an extremely good salary for a weatherman who never studied meteorology) is a long shot chance to turn things around - he's being considered for the job of weather man on the nationally syndicated morning show Hello, America. br / br /You have to commiserate with this guy. Life throws a lot of things at us, but it literally throws things at Dave - soft drinks, food, etc. (Of course, if he hadn't been driving around freezing Chicago with his window down, he never would have been hit by that Big Gulp drink.) On top of that, he just can't connect with his kids. His son has just gotten out of rehab and ends up getting himself into a rather disgusting predicament with one of his counselors (Ally McBeal's Gil Bellows). His daughter is a twelve-year-old, overweight smoker dealing with a mean nickname she earned by the way she wears her clothes (and it's something I could have done without seeing, let me tell you). His ex-wife basically hates him, while his Pulitzer Prize-winning father discovers he has cancer. It is his dad's illness that really galvanizes Dave to try and put things right again - reconciling with his wife, being there for his vulnerable children, getting that big job in New York, and finally doing something to make his father proud of him. Real life just doesn't work like that, however - and Dave has a hard time dealing with all the burdens that keep falling down upon his shoulders. Sometimes, he's all but paralyzed with angst, but all of those pent-up emotions can come hurtling out at times, even over one of the little things in life. He can really be quite emotionally unbalanced, but he never stops trying to change things. Don't expect a "they all lived happily ever after" ending to this story; to its credit, The Weather Man doesn't abandon realism in the film's final moments. br / br /What makes The Weather Man a great movie, though, is Michael Caine's remarkable performance as Dave's Dad. Best supporting actor awards were created for exactly this kind of performance. Without Caine, The Weather Man is just dark, unusual, and fascinating; with him, it's a surprisingly emotional experience. This is one of the most memorable and impressive films of the year, if you ask me. Brilliant July 26, 2006 Brogan (Huddersfield, West Yorkshire United Kingdom) 4 out of 6 found this review helpful This is not a comedy! Just wanted to clear that up. The Weather Man was stupidly marketed as a comedy, when really it's a dark and sometimes depressing character study. It's story and tone is similar to American Beauty, albeit this is much darker and actually manages to paint a bleaker image of Nicholas Cage's character than of Lester Burnham. The acting is mostly good, but the greatest feature of the film is the cinematography; starting with the memorable opening shot of the ice covered lake, the cinematography never faulters and helps greatly in symbolizing Dave Spritz' loneliness. Great outlook for The Weather Man July 4, 2006 Sarah Jane Jones (London) 2 out of 3 found this review helpful Wasn't sure what I'd make of a film about, of all uninteresting subjects, a weather man. How wrong I was. It's a great film and Nicolas Cage turns in a stunning yet underrated performance. With Michael Caine being, well, Michael Caine, and Nicholas Hoult turning into a bit of a hunk, I laughed, I cried, I was thoroughly entertained throughout. Go watch it! Fantastic Film August 7, 2006 R. Marchant (London, London United Kingdom) 3 out of 5 found this review helpful Funny, original and absolutely fantastic. br / br /Steve Conrad (the writer) deserves an oscar nomination for the script. Superb. Showing reviews 1-5 of 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next »

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