It Could Happen to You (film)

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It Could Happen to You

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Andrew Bergman
Produced by Mike Lobell
Written by Jane Anderson
Starring Nicolas Cage
Bridget Fonda
Rosie Perez
Claudia Shear
Issac Hayes
Cinematography Caleb Deschanel
Editing by Barry Malkin
Distributed by TriStar Pictures
Release date(s) July 29, 1994
Running time 101 min.
Country United States
Language English
IMDb profile

It Could Happen to You is a 1994 romantic comedy-drama film starring Nicholas Cage and Bridget Fonda. The story is based on a New York City police officer (Cage) who wins the lottery and splits his winnings with a waitress (Fonda). The movie bears a striking resemblance to an actual event as documented by Snopes.[1]

Contents

[edit] Memorable quotes

  • Charlie: "A promise is a promise."
  • Charlie, on his marriage to Muriel: "It's like we're two different channels: I'm CNN and she's the Home Shopping Network."

[edit] Story

Policeman Charlie Lang (Nicolas Cage) is a kind and generous person who loves his job. His wife Muriel (Rosie Perez) works in a manicure salon and, unlike Charlie, is selfish, greedy and materialistic, constantly complaining about their situation in life. Waitress Yvonne Biasi (Bridget Fonda), is also a very kind and generous person. However she is bankrupt because her husband (Stanley Tucci), whom she had not yet been able to afford to divorce, took her credit card and spent $12,000 without her permission.

Charlie meets Yvonne when she waits on him at the diner she works. Since Charlie doesn't have enough money with him, he promises Yvonne to give her half of his prospective lottery winnings instead. He wins $4 million (in 21 annual payments) in New York Lotto the next day and keeps his promise, despite the protests of his wife. He and Yvonne become media stars almost immediately.

Yvonne buys the diner she was working in. She sets up a table with Charlie's name at which people who cannot afford food can eat for free.

Muriel gets to know the newly rich Jack Gross, who also won the lottery. She flirts with him and later starts an affair. Meanwhile, Charlie and Yvonne spend a lot of time together, often giving gifts to passengers of the subway or to children, about which the media report. Muriel gets fed up with Charlie's constant donations and throws him out of their apartment.

Yvonne leaves her apartment, after her husband shows up and threatens to stay until he gets the money. Charlie and Yvonne run into each other at the Plaza Hotel and get together.

When Muriel and Charlie divorce, Muriel wants all the money that Charlie won for herself. Charlie doesn't mind giving his share of the money but Muriel also wants the money he gave Yvonne, which causes Charlie to take the case to court. The jury decides in Muriel's favor. Yvonne feels guilty that Charlie won $4,000,000 and now has nothing; he replies that money does not matter to him. Just as they are giving up and moving out of town, the citizens of New York City send "the cop and the waitress" thousands of letters with tips totaling about $600,000.

It is only after Charlie and Muriel get divorced, that Muriel's new husband "Jack Gross", takes off with all her money, revealing himself to be a con-man. She then moves in with her mother in the Bronx and goes back to her old manicure job.

[edit] Soundtrack

Release date: 19 July 1994

Label: Sony

Track listing

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Lottery luck", Snopes