From the south, we have a chubby daughter with a camel toe, mixed with a westerly, na??ve 15-year-old son and a nor-easter blowing in Nicholas Cage as the perfectionist father.
These systems should come together and bring our area some decent film work in the form of "The Weather Man."
"The Weather Man" is a portrait of an average family's peculiarities that stands out against modern Hollywood fiascos. It seems to be aiming at some depth, but possesses too little direction to be considered an all-out success.
Cage ("Adaptation") stars as David Spritz, a successful weatherman in Chicago with a not-so-successful personal life. His wife left him, his young children are doing drugs and fans constantly pester him.
Jealous viewers frequently pelt him with food, including frosties, Big Gulps and apple pies. These acts take on a sort of symbolic meaning when David realizes that he's always hit with fast food.
"It's quick and it tastes alright, but there isn't really any nutrition. I'm fast food," he says.
Cage once again displays his wide character range with a role similar to the self-loathing protagonist of "Adaptation." He usually portrays tough, aggressive characters, but here he is shy and awkward. Struggling to think of an insult, he calls his wife's boyfriend a "pork f*** porker."
Michael Caine, who recently played Alfred in "Batman Begins," co-stars as David's father. He is no humble servant here, but a successful writer trying to help David take control of his family life.
"Never slap a man with your gloves, or your dad will think you're a silly f***," says David in a voiceover after his father witnesses him hit his ex-wife's boyfriend.
David's daughter Shelly (Gemmenne de la Pena) tells him she wants to learn archery, but when she quits after the first lesson he becomes an enthusiast. The sport serves as his outlet, but is also the obvious and obligatory symbolism of the movie.
Many newer films feature this unhidden but effective juxtaposition. As David's state improves, so does his skill at archery.
Although not stated in the film, one scene makes David appear to have adult ADD. In a flashback, David wonders if his relationship with his wife could have worked out if he had remembered to pick up tartar sauce on a particular occasion.
"Tartar sauce, tartar sauce," he repeats, but then goes off on tangents. "I'd like to stick my face in her ass. I wish I had two di**s. I like Neil Young... and Neil Diamond. There aren't many famous people named Neil."
At least the voiceover serves mostly for comedic purposes, and isn't just a crutch to fill in plot holes.
Some sort of deeper meaning seems to be developing, but it is never fully realized through a progression of scenes. The closest thing to a theme this film exhibits is "The weather is unpredictable, just like life."
Director Gore Verbinski is responsible for such hits as "The Mexican," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Ring." The humor is superb, such as the ongoing jokes about Shelly's tight clothes that reveal her camel toe.
"Do the other kids call you any names?" David asks her.
"Like what?" she asks.
"Oh, like dummy or...camel toe?" he says.
However, Verbinski falls short in creating sympathy for many of the characters. Unknown writer Steve Conrad ("Wrestling Ernest Hemingway") is partially responsible for this.
David's son Mike (Nicholas Hoult) is 15 years old, and should be smart enough to know when his drug mentor Don (Gil Bellows) has an unhealthy interest in him. Don buying Mike a new sweater at the mall with his "special discount" is innocent enough.
Don later invites Mike to dinner and asks him to remove his shirt for pictures under the pretense of tracking his weightlifting progress; any kid with half a brain would become suspicious.
This film falls short in a few areas, but as a whole it's fine. With all the action films and sequels coming out today, "The Weather Man" stands out as a simple, introspective look at the modern family.



