It Could Happen to You (1994)

Inspired by an actual incident, this unassuming, wonderfully good-natured romantic comedy tells the story of a New York City street cop named Charlie (Nicolas Cage) who makes a promise to a coffee-shop waitress named Yvonne (Bridget Fonda) that will change both their lives. One day after coffee, Charlie is embarrassed to discover he doesn't have money for a tip, so he tells Yvonne that he'll share half of his winnings if the lottery ticket he's holding comes up a winner. Sure enough, he wins the jackpot--a whopping $4 million payoff--and Charlie's wife, Muriel (Rosie Perez), goes ballistic when he tells her about his deal with Yvonne. From this point, It Could Happen to You follows Charlie's dilemma as he is forced to decide the proper course of action, and director Andrew Bergman smoothly incorporates a gentle love story into this amusing crisis of conscience. Fonda and Cage have an easygoing chemistry that adds a pleasant touch to the movie's fairy-tale plot, and the story's kindhearted sentiment is never so thick that it becomes sticky-sweet or artificial. As feel-good comedies go, this one's a class act. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

I wish it didn't happen!

The movie started off with promise but it just dragged on and on. Nicolas Cage always finds himself in these clunkers. Other than The Rock, all of his other movies I have seen sucked. Rosie Perez basically reprised her role as Gloria from White Men Can't Jump except this time she's about living large. At least Gloria had redeeming qualities but her character Muriel in this movie was flat out annoying. And I hated her lawyer who slandered Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda's characters through the press. It was so corny that he got that stuff to actually make print. I don't understand the hype with Bridget Fonda. Just because your the daughter of Jane Fonda, the grand daughter of Peter Fonda and the niece of Henry Fonda doesn't mean you're automatically hailed as a great actress. Her performance was very flat and she was just as annoying as Helen Hunt was from As Good As It Gets. The movie just got lame after the lottery went down. This movie is so bad that I wish seeing it never happened to me! May 26, 2008

Love & Fate

If you need a story with a happy ending, then look no further.This has all the ingredients for a feel-good night at the movies with lots of laughs and interesting story set with a New York city backdrop. Relax & Enjoy!
March 30, 2008

From fact to flatline fiction

The actual story behind the highly fictionalized movie script could have made a really good movie. According to the urban legend website SNOPES, the real events involved a not-so-young waitress and a not-so-young police detective who together select the winning numbers to a $6 million jackpot. There was no hint of romance between the two. But that would be too open-ended for the cookie cutter mentalities behind this movie. They must have went into a conference room -- or a lunch room -- or a diner -- and derived this formulaic romance between two unhappily married people.

Their result was this plot bringing together a Prince Charming, a Cinderella, a the Wicked Witch of New York. But they forget to include a nice dramatic flow of events. I just didn't experience any peaks and very little emotional depth. In the end, I wasn't satisfied.

At least Nicholas Cage makes the most of the opportunity to be normal and charming rather than quirky and charming (one of his first such efforts). He gives the movie whatever depth it attains. Pretty Bridge Fonda gives her usual quiet, unexciting performance. They're responsible for most of the positive rating I give this movie.

Rosie Perez, unfortunately, overwhelms the entire proceedings with nasally witchiness. And that's not the memory I want to take away from a movie.

So, I'm looking forward to the remake based on my own soon-to-be lottery success... Oooh, Briii-dget.... August 31, 2007

It Could Happen to You

Two thumbs way up!!! It goes to show what small things on a large scale can do. August 12, 2007

Makes you feel all fuzzy inside.

It Could Happen to You starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda is a cute romantic comedy that's appropriate for all-ages. No sexual content, no vulgar language, and no unnecessary violence is what you'll get with this feel-good movie. Cage and Fonda have the perfect chemistry, you truly believe they are meant to be. Rosie Perez adds comic touch as Cage's selfish and greedy ex-wife. If you believe in happily ever after's and enjoy a corny but refreshing romantic comedy then It Could Happen to You shall float your boat. Enjoy! July 10, 2007

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