Review of The Weather Man (2005) by Reid V — 26 Mar 2012

A true hidden gem that seemed to fly straight to DVD. One that defies classification due to it's honest look at life. Call it a drama, a comedy, or even a dramedy if you feel so inclined. But life is often funny, sad, sweet, and bizarre, all at once. Nobody's words are perfect, not every situation carries significant meaning, and things often happen without any rhyme or reason. Director Gore Verbinski seems to understands this and translates this sentiment to the screen surprisingly well.

It is a character study of a man just trying to prove his worth not only to those around him, but also to himself. Much like predicting the weather, it is often hard to know what each day is going to bring. It's our protagonist's job to know, but like the rest of us, he is just taking it one day at a time.

Over the years my view of Nicholas Cage has changed drastically. I went from finding him odd, to finding him bizarre, but embracing it. While he may not be making the best decisions regarding his roles as of late, he is pitch-perfect here. Not only does he look like your everyday pasty face on TV, but he is incredibly nuanced as a man just stumbling through life, earnestly trying to make the best of each day.

While Verbinski would make a name for himself as one of driving forces behind the titanic Pirates franchise, we can be happy that he took the time in between those films to give us such a tender, insightful, and sadly overlooked film.