It could happen to you

It Could happen to you, 1994
Director: Andrew Bergman
Cast: Nicholas Cage, Bridget Fonda, Rosie Perez


Stage: Home Tv selection (amazingly, they know what to show sometimes :)

It could happen in short: Charlie and Muriel Lang have led simple lives - for most of their existance. That's until they win $4 million on the lottery! There is a problem, however. Prior to winning the lottery, Charlie had eaten at a cafe and hadn't been able to tip the waitress. He had promised her, jokingly, that if he won the lottery he'd give her half of it. This is why his wife, Muriel decides to leave him. She doesn't want the waitress to get a cent of their money. Infact she wants all $4 million for herself!


Preps: I have seen this once, however do not recall it. I see that it's shown on TV and I decide to see it. Cage, Fonda,.. kind of have a clue, but am not sure. So I see it again.


Reality: The whole movie is around samaritanism.. and giving away, even if it takes the last dime you have in your pocket. Sometimes you get lucky. And sometimes you don't. For these two characters everything turns out lucky. Cage casts his all time favourite role of a victim (see him in City of angels, or something similar). Perez is this chick you have to hate. And I hate her in all her roles. I cannot believe you can be that annoying. See it in this movie, you will know what am I talking about. The whole time you wonder what in the world he is doing with her and how can she be that stupid or annoying. I wouldn't stand one hour with her, but him, for some reason, just takes on her silly way of life she's handling. Fonda's cast isn't that brilliant, however, she is supposed to make some magic with Cage, but doesn't succeed at all.

In my opinion, the movie is a good reminder of good deeds that some people still carry within themselves and the way we could look at the world if we wanted. As I said at the beginning, sometimes you get lucky and most of the good stuff you give away comes back in some shape. How about when it doesn't? Who's to blame? To blame god or some upper being is just so.. naive. And to blame yourself if you were good and did well and didn't get anything back?

The movie is a cute Sunday workout in front of TV, nothing really more to it. But it has a good message - with the samaritanism, I think. I don't suppose an undecisive and blury guy like this gets a girl ever in his life. And I don't buy giving away 2 mio USD, if you have 4. People like this just don't grow on the trees. An interesting idea, though :) (both, to have actually that amount and to give it away :)



My personal rate: 6,0 (cute and gets into your moral veins - you would love to be a samaritan if you had so much money, I am sure ;)

It could happen to you on IMDB