The Weather Man (2005)

A Chicago weather man, separated from his wife and children, debates whether professional and personal success are mutually exclusive.

Director:

Gore Verbinski

Writer:

Steve Conrad

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicolas Cage	...	David Spritz
Michael Caine	...	Robert Spritzel
Hope Davis	...	Noreen
Gemmenne de la Peña	...	Shelly (as Gemmenne De La Peña)
Nicholas Hoult	...	Mike
Michael Rispoli	...	Russ
Gil Bellows	...	Don
Judith McConnell	...	Lauren
Chris Marrs	...	DMV Guy
Dina Facklis	...	Andrea
J. Nicole Brooks	...	Clerk (as Deanna NJ Brooks)
Sia A. Moody	...	Nurse (as Sia Moody)
Guy Van Swearingen	...	Nipper Guy
Alejandro Pina	...	Fast Food Employee
Jackson Bubala	...	Fast Food Child

Storyline

Dave Spritz is a local weatherman in his home town of Chicago, where his career is going well while his personal life -- his relationship with his perfectionist writer father, his neurotic ex-wife, and his now-separated children -- is spiraling downward. Despite being both loathed and loved by the local masses, Dave is a guy who doesn't seem to have it all together, and in this film, he begins to feel it. An attractive job offer presents Dave with a major question: to pursue his career in New York City, or to remain at home with his family.

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Plot Keywords:

weatherman | new york city | couples therapy | terminal illness | camel toe | 

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Taglines:

In life, accuracy counts.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Pictures [us]

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 October 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Monsieur Météo

Filming Locations:

333. N Canal St Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£406,217 (UK) (3 March 2006)

Gross:

£860,440 (UK) (10 March 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Escape Artists, Kumar Mobiliengesellschaft mbH & Co. Projekt Nr. 2 KG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nicolas Cage recorded all of the inner monologue at a local recording studio before shooting began. He was fed the audio on set.

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Goofs

When David pays one dollar for the coffee at Arby's, the charge is 80 cents, yet the cashier only gives him a dime back in change.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dave Spritz: That was refreshing. I'm refreshed. I'm refreshing.

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Connections

References SpongeBob SquarePants (1999)

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Soundtracks

"Like a Rock"
(1986)
Written & Performed by Bob Seger
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

Alternately hilarious and dark, with misleading marketing

When I first saw the advertisements for "The Weather Man", it seemed like the movie was going to be another formulaic, feel good Hollywood redemption tale. In reality, it is a dark, scathing satire of American values. The marketing likely scared away a lot of people who would enjoy the film, while attracting an audience who was presented with something unexpected and perhaps uncomfortable. The comedy is quite raunchy, the tone is bleak, and the story is anything but formulaic, throwing industry conventions right out the window, which leads to a film that's more believable than most.

David Spritz is a man whose life has become the ultimate exercise in futility. Each day, he wakes up and goes to a job that, despite paying a handsome salary, is entirely unfulfilling. His relationship with his ex-wife is strained, his relationship with his children distant. To make things worse, his Pulitzer Prize winning father seems to be disappointed in what David has done with his life.

In real life, progress in one's personal life is generally made in baby steps. Usually, people don't undergo a drastic transformation over the course of several months. David attempts to improve his standing in life, at times failing entirely, at times succeeding in small doses. The results of these attempts range from very funny to downright saddening, and this helps lend the film an air of realism. This is a complicated character study about a man coming to grips with the fact that he's failed to meet any of the goals he set for himself in life, despite attaining a social standing that many people are envious of. There aren't any easy answers or life altering epiphanies; self-improvement is a long, gradual task that will probably never be completely fulfilled, and "The Weather Man" reflects this reality. While not for all tastes, this movie deserves credit for tackling a relatively conventional subject in a very unconventional, at least for a mainstream Hollywood movie, manner. I imagine that this film will be a bigger success overseas and on DVD than it will be in its US theatrical run.