Everything about The Weather Man totally explained
The Weather Man is a
2005 American comedy-drama film, starring
Nicolas Cage and
Michael Caine. The film revolves around David Spritz (Cage), a successful
weatherman on a
Chicago news program, who is seen by both others and himself as a failure in all areas of life outside his career. The film was directed by
Gore Verbinski and written by
Steven Conrad.
Plot
Chicago weatherman David Spritz (
Nicolas Cage) spends his time in a daze. His job pays well, but he finds it unsatisfactory that it doesn't require much except to speak and point, and the weather forecasts he reads are often inaccurate. While he's a local celebrity, his fans are not kind to him; once every few months people throw fast food at him. He also remarks that people don't like him because he's low
self-esteem and people who do like him like him because he's on TV.
He is separated from his wife Noreen (
Hope Davis) with the possibility of either reconciliation or divorce. He and her new lover Russ (
Michael Rispoli) have an openly antagonistic relationship.
Dave feels inferior to his father Robert Spritzel (
Michael Caine), a
Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Robert has
lymphoma and only a few months to live; he deals with that in a quiet, dignified manner. Robert is concerned with Dave's apparent inability to grow up, while Dave is anxious to redeem himself in his father's eyes.
Dave has a 12-year-old daughter Shelly (
Gemmenne de la Peña) who smokes and is obese and teased by her classmates, who call her "
camel toe" because her genitals show through her tight clothing. For this reason Dave buys dresses for her. While picking up Shelly from her dance lessons, Spritz flashes back to expensive
archery lessons, which his daughter quickly lost interest in.
Dave also has a 15-year-old son Mike (
Nicholas Hoult) who has had some trouble with the law concerning drug use. Mike is creepily befriended by his rehab counselor Don (
Gil Bellows), who is very generous. However, it's suggested that Don has a sexual interest in Mike. Don suggests that he makes photos of Mike from time to time to document his progress in bodybuilding. Mike agrees, and allows Don to take photos of him shirtless.
Eventually, however, Mike punches Don in the face; Robert claims that Don wanted to perform
oral sex on Mike, while Don claims that Mike wanted to steal his wallet. Dave is in
New York City interviewing with
Hello America (A nationwide morning television show starring
Bryant Gumbel) and unable to help, so Russ steps in. Although Dave is interested in Mike's well-being, he doesn't even let Russ finish his account, and slaps him in the face with his gloves, apparently because he can't stand that Russ is now the person dealing with Mike's problems. Later Dave beats Don up. Mike is relieved to find out from his father that Don won't press charges, particularly after Dave's violent confrontation. Robert also approves of Dave's defense of his son.
There is a
living funeral for Robert. Due to a power failure Dave's speech is aborted after only saying: "When I think of my dad, I think of
Bob Seger's "
Like a Rock". Later Robert plays the song and asks Dave to explain his remark. Dave explains that Robert has always been strong and stands "proud and tall, high above it all", as in the song.
Dave is offered a place on
Hello America that requires a move to New York. He hesitates, since he'd be far away from Noreen and their children, unless the family is reunited, and they also move to New York. However, Noreen tells him she's going to marry Russ, so Dave accepts the job. Soon afterward, Robert dies.
Dave's former resentment for his fans, a reflection of his own low self-esteem, has gone away now that he's gained his father's approval and learned to accept and be happy with his life. People don't throw things at him anymore. He assumes this may be a pleasant side-effect of his archery hobby, for which he carries a bow around.
The film ends with a parade, in which Dave rides on a
float with Gumbel and other morning show castmembers. He notes how he's behind the
NYC firemen, but ahead of
SpongeBob Squarepants. He is satisfied with this and his "American accomplishment." The film ends with a close-up of Dave waving as he says, through narration, "Hello America."
Cast
Tom Skilling, the actual weatherman for
WGN News from Chicago, has a cameo.
Reception
The Weather Man received mixed reviews gaining an overall score of 58 on
Rotten Tomatoes
and 60 on
Metacritic.
Further Information
Get more info on 'The Weather Man'.
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