Charlie (Nicolas Cage) is a really nice guy and a decent cop. He is honest, good with people and he definitely doesn’t mind living in Queens, New York. Unfortunately, he is married to his high school sweetheart Muriel (Rosie Perez), who couldn’t have been more different. She is a hairdresser who believes she is destined to have a much better life and a husband who makes more money. She doesn’t want kids (at least not on Charlie’s salary) and she is dying to get out of Queens. That’s why she encourages Charlie to buy a lottery ticket.

Yvonne (Bridget Fonda) is having the worst year of her life. Her actor wannabe husband (Stanley Tucci) has left her broke. So broke in fact that, she can’t even afford a divorce. To top it all, he has maxed out her credit cards and the court declared bankrupt.

It is on this day that Charlie and his partner Bo (Wendell Pierce) walk into the diner she waiting tables at. Charlie realizes that he only has enough money for the bill and not the tip, so he tells Yvonne that he has bought a lottery ticket. If he wins, he will share half of the money with her. If he doesn’t, he will come back the next day with her tip. With her luck in life, she is skeptical that Charlie will come back at all.

But Charlie’s ticket wins a total 4 million dollars. He is shocked and Muriel is over the moon. Being the decent man he is, he goes back to the diner and tells Yvonne to choose either her tip or half the lottery money. Yvonne chooses option number two and against his wife’s wild objections, he shares the money with Yvonne.

He and Yvonne become good friends – who are really attracted to each other. But 4 millions is a lot of money and Muriel won’t let go without a fight. And of course 2 million dollars suddenly make Yvonne the target of her husband…

**

It could happen to you is a very warm-hearted, sweetheart of a comedy that is like a modern day fairy tale. Charlie is too nice to be true – Muriel is pretty much like the evil witch and Yvonne fits the damsel in distress model. The story is too hopeful and it sounds too good even to the romantic/dreamers like me.  But let’s be honest. What are the odds of your hitting the jackpot? And even you do win, would you really share it with a stranger who you made a promise to on a whim?

But despite its fairy-tale like qualities, this is a really fun movie. Made in 1994, it is the first movie I ever watched Nic Cage in – and the movie that made me a fan. Going back to this movie, I realize once more what a good actor he is. Watching Charlie, you couldn’t imagine Nic could ever be a villain or a whacky character or a depressed alcoholic or an obsessive compulsive conman…

Yet he pulls it off. Watch it if you can suspend your skepticism. And you will get a large smile on your face.

One bad thing about the movie is Rosie Perez’ character. I know she’s supposed to be annoying but the accent and the tone of voice make me cringe every time.

Written by Jane Anderson, directed by Andrew Bergman.

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