So college life has you down. You bombed your midterm and your ex called it quits--but nothing compares to the miserable life of Chicago weatherman David Spritz (Nicolas Cage) in The Weather Man.

Although successful with his career, Spritz's personal life is devastating. Recently divorced, he has two children who live with his ex-wife Noreen (Hope Davis). Mike, 15, and Shelly, 12, are growing up without their father in all the wrong ways.

Mike builds a dangerous relationship with his drug rehabilitation counselor, Shelly, who is overweight and depressed. To polish things off, Spritz's stubborn father (Michael Caine) is diagnosed with cancer. Spritz always finds himself with a single dollar bill in his wallet that is just not enough, an irony to the weatherman's unfortunate repetition of shortcomings.

The audience may smirk from the occasional fast-food taco or milkshake that splatters on Spritz's coat or a disrespectful gesture from TV viewers,which will be immediately suppressed by the overall gloom of Spirtz's persona.

Cage plays the stiff, cold Spritz to perfection. The character's lack of communication with his kids and completely stupid relations with his ex-wife makes him unbearable. And just when he gets that small advantage to finally figure life out, something else comes around to kick him from behind.

Nonetheless, he is forgiven. When Spritz, as a father, is forced to deal with issues such as his daughter's "camel toe" dilemma to relieve her of the taunting at school, the condolence is inevitable.

Although the film ends on a happier note, as happy as it can get, anyway, the common theme of "adult life sucks" looms when the credits start to role.

-- Reviewed by Tia Bochnakova