- IMDb page: The Weather Man (2005)
- Rate: 6.7/10 total 53,368 votes
- Genre: Comedy | Drama
- Release Date: 28 October 2005 (USA)
- Runtime: 102 min
- Filming Location: 333. N Canal St Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Budget: $22,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross: £860,440 (UK) (10 March 2006)
- Director: Gore Verbinski
- Stars: Nicolas Cage, Hope Davis, Nicholas Hoult | See full cast and crew
- Original Music By: James S. Levine (co-composer) (as James Levine) Hans Zimmer
- Soundtrack: I Can See Clearly Now
- Sound Mix: DTS | Dolby Digital
- Plot Keyword: Weatherman | New York City | Couples Therapy | Terminal Illness | Camel Toe
Writing Credits By:
Known Trivia
- Nicolas Cage recorded all of the inner monologue at a local recording studio before shooting began. He was fed the audio on set.
- The "plastic" spoon stuck to Nicolas Cage's lapel was actually a metal spoon that had been painted to appear plastic and which was held in place with a magnet.
- The Naperville Central High School marching band was asked to be in that parade, and the song they are playing is their school's fight song.
- Despite Paramount Pictures suggesting that the production be shot in Canada, to substitute for Chicago, Gore Verbinski and Nicolas Cage both insisted that the film be shot in Chicago for authenticity.
- The food that hits Nicolas Cage throughout the film is thrown by director Gore Verbinski.
- Gore Verbinski plays guitar on Hans Zimmer's score.
- While shooting the film in February, director Gore Verbinski was surprised to find that the weather in Chicago was warm, as it didn't produce any snow. The production designers had to recreate snow from scratch, as the film takes place during the winter season.
- To complement the fast food theme, the McDonald's logo appears prominently on screen no less than nine times.
Goofs: Continuity: The right rear-view mirror of Robert's Jaguar is missing in one shot
Plot: A Chicago weather man, separated from his wife and children, debates whether professional and personal success are mutually exclusive. Full summary » »
Story: Dave Spritz is a local weatherman in his home town of Chicago, where his career is going well while his personal life -- his relationship with his perfectionist writer father, his neurotic ex-wife, and his now-separated children -- is spiraling downward. Despite being both loathed and loved by the local masses, Dave is a guy who doesn't seem to have it all together, and in this film, he begins to feel it. An attractive job offer presents Dave with a major question: to pursue his career in New York City, or to remain at home with his family. Written bymystic80
{tab=Synopsis}
Synopsis: A successful weatherman at a Chicago news program, David Spritz is well paid but garners little respect from people in the area who throw fast food at him, David suspects, because are resentful of how easy his high-paying job is. Dave also feels overshadowed by his father, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Spritzel, who is disappointed in Dave's apparent inability to grow up and deal with his two children. The situation worsens when Robert is diagnosed with lymphoma and given only a few months to live. As he becomes more and more depressed, Dave takes up archery, finding the activity a way to build his focus and calm his nerves.
To prove himself to his father and possibly reconcile with Noreen, his estranged wife, Dave pursues a weatherman position with a national talk show called Hello America. The job would nearly quadruple his salary, but means relocating to New York City. When Hello America invites him to New York, he takes his daughter with him and bonds with her by helping her shop for a more suitable wardrobe. While away, Dave learns that his son attacked his counselor, claiming that the man wanted to perform oral sex on him. Despite this stress and an all-night drinking binge, Dave impresses the Hello America interviewers and is eventually offered the job.
When he returns, Dave slaps Russ, Noreen's boyfriend, when he finds him dealing with his son's predicament. Dave later confronts the counselor at his home, beating him up and warning him that he is in store for worse.
The family holds a living funeral for Robert, in which Dave asks Noreen to reconcile and move to New York, but she has decided to marry Russ. Dave and Robert have one final talk, in which Dave breaks down in tears, unsure of his life's choices. Robert consoles him, telling him that he has time to "chuck" the garbage of his life. Robert dies soon after.
The film ends several months later, after Dave has accepted the job and moved to New York. People have ceased throwing things at him though, he muses, this may be a pleasant side-effect of his archery hobby, for which he carries a bow.
{tab=FullCast & Crew}To prove himself to his father and possibly reconcile with Noreen, his estranged wife, Dave pursues a weatherman position with a national talk show called Hello America. The job would nearly quadruple his salary, but means relocating to New York City. When Hello America invites him to New York, he takes his daughter with him and bonds with her by helping her shop for a more suitable wardrobe. While away, Dave learns that his son attacked his counselor, claiming that the man wanted to perform oral sex on him. Despite this stress and an all-night drinking binge, Dave impresses the Hello America interviewers and is eventually offered the job.
When he returns, Dave slaps Russ, Noreen's boyfriend, when he finds him dealing with his son's predicament. Dave later confronts the counselor at his home, beating him up and warning him that he is in store for worse.
The family holds a living funeral for Robert, in which Dave asks Noreen to reconcile and move to New York, but she has decided to marry Russ. Dave and Robert have one final talk, in which Dave breaks down in tears, unsure of his life's choices. Robert consoles him, telling him that he has time to "chuck" the garbage of his life. Robert dies soon after.
The film ends several months later, after Dave has accepted the job and moved to New York. People have ceased throwing things at him though, he muses, this may be a pleasant side-effect of his archery hobby, for which he carries a bow.
Produced By:
- Nicolas Cage known as David Spritz
- Michael Caine known as Robert Spritzel
- Hope Davis known as Noreen
- Gemmenne de la Peña known as Shelly (as Gemmenne De La Peña)
- Nicholas Hoult known as Mike
- Michael Rispoli known as Russ
- Gil Bellows known as Don
- Judith McConnell known as Lauren
- Chris Marrs known as DMV Guy
- Dina Facklis known as Andrea
- J. Nicole Brooks known as Clerk (as Deanna NJ Brooks)
- Sia A. Moody known as Nurse (as Sia Moody)
- Guy Van Swearingen known as Nipper Guy
- Alejandro Pina known as Fast Food Employee
- Jackson Bubala known as Fast Food Child
- Jennifer Bills known as Fast Food Mom
- Peter Grosz known as Shelly's Archery Instructor
- Joe Bianchi known as Paul
- Nick Kuehneman known as Passenger with Frosty
- Bruce Jarchow known as Viewer
- Joanne Sylvestrak known as Viewer's Wife
- Robyn Moler known as Beer Girl
- John D. Milinac known as Beer Patron
- Melanie Decelles Castro known as Shelly's Companion
- Jason Wells known as Tim
- Scott Benjaminson known as Race Organizer
- Ora Jones known as Trust Counselor
- Mike Bacarella known as Takeout Clerk
- Jennifer Joan Taylor known as Register Worker
- Chuck Stubbings known as Mark Dersen
- Shanesia Davis-Williams known as Hello America Producer (as Shane Williams)
- Dan Flannery known as Hello America Producer
- Sandy Whiteley known as Hello America Director
- Antoine McKay known as Passing Pedestrian
- Eduardo N. Martinez known as Pie Thrower (as Eddie Martinez)
- David Darlow known as Robert's Friend
- Will Zahrn known as Priest
- Poorna Jagannathan known as NY Pedestrian
- Bryant Gumbel known as Himself
- Anne Marie Howard known as Co-Anchor
- Ed McMahon known as Himself
- Cristina Ferrare known as Herself
- Stephen Hilger known as Dave's Archery Instructor
- Ron McClary known as Guy in Park
- Eric Ambriz known as Elevator Kid
- Leah Rose Orleans known as Elevator Kid
- Juhong Xue known as Co-Anchor
- Tom Skilling known as WGN Assistant Director
- Wolfgang Puck known as Himself
- Monica Weaver known as Living Funeral Guest
- John Francis Mountain known as Living Funeral Guest
Production Companies:
- Paramount Pictures (presents)
- Escape Artists (presents)
- Kumar Mobiliengesellschaft mbH & Co. Projekt Nr. 2 KG (produced in association with)
- The Weather Man (uncredited)
- Atlantic Cine Equipment cranes and remote heads (uncredited)
- Canali selected wardrobe: Mr. Cage, provided by
- Central Casting extras casting
- Chicago Film Office, The the producers wish to thank
- Company 3 digital intermediate
- Hat Trick Catering caterer
- Illinois Film Office, The the producers wish to thank (as Illinois Film Board)
- Kodak motion picture film
- Mary Nelson-Fraser & Associates negative cutting (as Mary Nelson-Fraser and Associates)
- Movie Movers production trailers (uncredited)
- Movie Movers star trailers (uncredited)
- Movie Movers transportation (uncredited)
- Nickelodeon Network acknowledgement: "SpongeBob SquarePants" provided by (as Nickelodeon)
- Pacific Title titles
- Panavision cameras and lenses
- Paramount Studios digital sound editing (as Paramount Pictures)
- Reed Rigging rigging crew and equipment supplied by
- Scribner publisher: "On Death and Dying" by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross courtesy of
- Sonoton Musik-Verlag music (uncredited)
- Paramount Pictures (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (a Viacom company)
- Sony Pictures Releasing (2006) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (France) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
- Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
- Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
- Momentum Pictures (2005) (UK) (all media)
- Nordisk Film (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
- Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
- Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Argentina) (all media)
Special Effects:
- Method Studios (visual effects) (as Method)
- Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects)
- Howard Anderson Company, The (visual effects) (as Howard Anderson Company)
- WSI Corporation (weather graphics animation)
- Full Scale Effects (special effects support)
Visual Effects by:
MPAA: Rated R for strong language and sexual content
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Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database
