IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1994 Ben Hoffman
Charlie (Nicolas Cage) is an unlikely NYC cop: honest and dedicated beyond the call of duty. His wife, Muriel, (Rosie Perez) and he live in the borough of Queens in a very modest apartment house. Muriel wants to be rich. Muriel keeps haranguing him to be a little less honest and pick up some extra money with which she is obsessed. She also insists he buy a Lottery ticket despite the insane odds against winning a jackpot.
On Charlie's beat is a little coffee shop. One of the waitresses is Yvonne (Bridget Fonda). A judge has just given her a break by having her declared bankrupt when the husband whom she has left has run up a $12,000 tab on their Master card.
Charlie and his partner are having coffee when their pager goes off calling them to an emergency. He pays Muriel the bill but discovers he has no change for a tip. Instead, he promises her if he wins the lottery he will give her half his winning; if he loses he will be back with a tip. This being the movies, he wins ... $4 million. When he breaks the news to his wife that he is going to give the waitress half of the winning "because I promised her," she hits the ceiling.
Up to this point the fairy tale is funny and easy enough with which to go along. Charlie is very nice, Yvonne is sweet and grateful for the $2 million and wife Muriel is a riot with her tantrums. But the movie turns mean when Muriel becomes shrill and vindictive. The little fantasy we were enjoying turns real and sordid and all the fun leaves the film.
Isaac Hayes has a cameo as the narrator and Red Buttons does a bit as an attorney.
Directed by Andrew Bergman
2 bytes 4 Bytes = Absolutely must see. 3 Bytes = Too good to be missed. 2 Bytes = So so. 1 Byte = Save your money.
Ben Hoffman
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