A little rain and some sun

Just like a weatherman who rains on your parade after predicting sunshine, “The Weather Man” offers a relentless, bittersweet drama instead of the expected comedy. The result isn’t an out-and-out disaster; just a disappointment.

Nicolas Cage stars as Chicago TV weatherman David Spritz, who seems on the verge of big things. The network’s big-time morning show has sent him feelers about a job, and he’s already a bit of a celebrity around town.

The stardom has a down side: Disgruntled listeners, upset with failed forecasts, often throw fast food at him. (It’s got to be the most bizarre product placement I’ve ever seen – getting hit repeatedly with a Frostie or a taco or a Big Gulp.)

But that’s just the beginning. David’s marriage is kaput, his two children have serious problems, and his highly successful father, acclaimed novelist Robert Spritzel (Michael Caine) causes David to wither with a disappointment that borders on despair.

To top it off, literally and figuratively, Cage sports one of the worst haircuts of his film career; every day is a bad hair day for David.

It helps that Cage and Caine lead a first-rate cast – Caine is particularly remarkable. But, the material goes on a continual downward spiral, as David wanders through his failed life like a character out of a Saul Bellow novel, minus the literate wit.

Director Gore Verbinski obviously sought to distance himself from the wacky adventures of his “Pirates of the Caribbean.” But going on to “The Weather Man” is like leaving West Indies sunshine for an Icelandic winter.