There is a great narrator who appears early and late in the show, and who shows up some in-between as a speechless observer. His name is Angel (Isaac Hayes), and he tells us in the beginning that the movie "is mostly true." Although it is true, it is told as a fairy tale and, moreover, a wonderful romance.

The basic plot setup is that a cop (Nicolas Cage), gives a waitress (Bridget Fonda) a tip of half of his lottery ticket. The ticket turns out to be worth $4,000,000. The waitress is the classic bad luck type who has just that day declared bankruptcy.

The cop has had a long childless marriage to his childhood girlfriend (Rosie Perez). Their marriage is one where he muses that "I'm not sure why we ever got married, but we no longer have anything to say to each other." Perez is not happy with him either because he is not making "any serious money". Her girlfriend advises her to dump him and marry an electrician. Early in the show, he wins the lottery, and then all of the twists and turns begin. Some are predictable, but many are not.

There is an instant romance and visible chemistry between Cage and Fonda that is a joy to behold. You see this in the first 5 minutes of the movie. It makes you feel good to be alive. Their acting is terrific. Several times, I thought they were going to burst into song. It is that kind of movie. Great mood music in it too.

Small things like the setting in Queens were well done. How about a show set in a poor ethnic neighborhood where the kids are nice, play stickball and no one mentions the word drugs? Amazing that.

The movie starts wonderfully, ends great, and has perfect pacing throughout.