It could happen to you - review

Charlie Lang is a good guy New York cop who when he’s not saving the city, is playing with the neighbourhood kids and doing good deeds. His wife however is obsessed with money and making a name for herself as a hairdresser.

In the hope of boosting their finances Muriel asks Charlie to buy a lottery ticket, but it means that when he & his working partner visit a local cafe he doesn’t have enough money for a tip. With their waitress seeming unhappy, Charlie promises her that if he wins the lottery he will share half his winnings. Yvonne is sceptical, but having been declared bankrupt that morning thanks to her estranged husband, she agrees.

Amazingly that night Charlie & Muriel win $4 million on the lottery, but among the happiness Charlie has to tell Muriel about his promise to Yvonne and not surprisingly she’s not happy, however Charlie is determined to honour his promise and surprises Yvonne the next day.

Astounded that Charlie is willing to go ahead with his promise, Yvonne is thankful and knows she can put the money to good use, but Muriel has other ideas for her share. With the media taking an interest in Charlie and Yvonne’s arrangement, Muriel buys clothes, jewellery and re-models their apartment, but when Charlie realises that the money means more to her than their relationship, they begin to drift apart.

When Charlie is shot and has to take time off work, he knows how to use his spare time and reaches out to Yvonne in the hope they can get to know each other better. As they enjoy each other’s company, they use their shared wealth to bring happiness to others including the children from Charlie’s neighbourhood, but when Muriel asks for a divorce she also asks for all the lottery win - including Yvonne’s share.

Will their love survive Muriel’s attempt to get everything she wants?

Starring Nicolas Cage, Bridget Fonda and a small appearance by Stanley Tucci, this sweet rom-com was a great watch which I enjoyed from beginning to end.

I would be happy to add this movie to my DVD collection – definitely worth a watch.