Fear Itself (TV Series) Family Man (2008) User Reviews

Finally, the Series Has a Winning Episode

[gavin6942 · 8/10 · 23 June 2008]

The perfect husband and father dies in a tragic car crash, but is brought back to life in the hospital. Unfortunately, it turns out a vicious serial killer died at the same time and through God's Will, they have switched bodies upon their return. Now the killer walks freely through the perfect man's home while the innocent parent rots in jail.

This episode was amazing. Up to this point, I figured the series would be largely forgettable and be canceled in the first year. Maybe John Landis or Stuart Gordon would make a good story, but overall the series would try viewers' patience. Ronny Yu, whom I underestimated, proves me wrong: this story is well-written, well-presented. Perfect editing, pacing, suspense... characters I actually care about. And a sense of terror that was absent in the other episodes (and many other horror tales).

I have to give credit to the two main characters and the actors who portrayed them. Essentially, both of them are playing two different people -- sometimes mild-manned and loving and other times violent and destructive. I was more than just a little impressed with the versatility of the acting. Some people have difficulty switching mindsets from one film to another, but here we have two actors switching psyches in one movie.

There isn't much use in seeing "Fear Itself" episodes more than once... at least not without a sizable break in between. But this is an exception. I'd gladly rewatch this with a friend, even now that I know the ending (which may reduce the suspense). Be sure to check it out... up to this point, this is the episode that is going to sell the series if any of them are.

Switch

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 18 February 2015]

The bank executive Dennis Mahoney (Colin Ferguson) is a religious man dedicated to his wife Kathy Mahoney (Josie Rebecca Davis) and children. One Sunday afternoon, Dennis need to go to the bank and has a car accident. Dennis is near death but survives; however he awakes in the body of the serial-killer Richard "Family Man" Brautigan (Clifton Collins Jr.). Soon he learns that they have switched bodies and Brautigan is living with his family. Further, he needs to find a way to save his family from the deranged killer.

"Family Man" is a cruel tale "Fear Itself", with a good but predictable story of a good man that somehow switches body with a serial-killer. The despair of Dennis to save his family is depicted by a great performance of Clifton Collins Jr. The predictable conclusion is very sad and without redemption. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Family Man"

A creepy beginning with a predictable ending

[moorecameron94 · 7/10 · 3 July 2008]

The story is that a "Family Man" had a car crash by a serial killer and both almost died. Both wake up in each others bodies. The begging was creepy because the crash was dramatic and creepy. I didn't like anything else after that because the plot dragged and you knew what was going to happen from the beginning. The reason why I gave this episode a 7/10 was because the effects were awesome and the acting was descent. This would have to be my 2nd least favorite episode. It's better than "Spooked". I would recommend it since it seems like everyone on this website likes this episode besides me. Overall I would give the episode "Family Man" and 7/10.

face off

[trashgang · 6/10 · 18 May 2010]

The director from Freddy vs Jason gives us the first episode of Fear Itself really worth watching. The editing is sometimes special, and the story line works. Oh yes, I stated it in the summary as face off, everybody knows that movie, because it reminded me of the basics of that movie. After a car accident two bodies transform into each other by which I mean. The body and face stays the same only the character of the other person changes, the killer becomes the dad and visa versa. Again, no gore appears but this time the red stuff flows on a regular base and that gives us satisfaction like in the Masters Of Horror series. Let me say, you don't have to see blood to have a horror but then you will have to get the creeps. Also you can see were it's going but I can say that that will be the main issue in Fear Itself, it's all predictable. But this one never bored and worked out fine.

Good Episode

[Michael_Elliott · 9 July 2008]

Fear Itself: Family Man (2008)

*** (out of 4)

A clean-cut, religious family man is involved in an auto crash with a truck driven by a serial killer. The two men are near death and rushed to the hospital where their spirits are brought back but they end up in each other's body. This is the best entry in the series that I've seen so far and director Yu (Freddy vs. Jason, Bride of Chucky) handles the material very well and delivers a fun little film. The story itself is the most interesting aspect and thankfully the screenplay doesn't treat it as a by the numbers type thing. There are some nice twists along the way including the ending, which works very well and it's isn't as happy as you'd expect to see in a movie like this. There are a few bloody scenes including a good one during the bumble bee song but for the most part the screenplay goes for atmosphere, which is captured by the director. There are still some flaws throughout the film including some strange pacing but overall this movie delivers some good. The performances also stand out and both leading men turn in good performances.

Most likely the best of the series

[jdollak · 7/10 · 25 October 2009]

I've seen most of the episodes of this season, and it's mostly been a letdown. The direction has been on-and-off acceptable, the writing has usually been sub-par, and I leave each episode wondering why I'm willing to keep watching the series.

But this episode was different. While I wasn't drawn in immediately, the story raises enough possibilities that I was curious about the direction the story could take off in. The ending twist was not insulting - there was just enough time that you could see it coming. This seems trivial, but it goes a long way toward making the whole production feel like it was a successful story.

The acting was fine. The direction was mostly fine. There were a few sequences of fast cuts that I didn't care for, but that may have been due to the censors.

I don't think I'd be likely to re-watch the episode. There wasn't much depth to the story, but it was probably the most intelligently-written work on this show.

"Leave Him Alone, He's THE FAMILY MAN - If You Push Him Too Far, He Just Might..."

[cchase · 8/10 · 22 June 2008]

But seriously, this guy is not to be confused with the guy from the Mike Oldfield song, which Hall and Oates had a huge hit with. It looks like this less gore/more character thing really agrees with Mick Garris and Company, and I sure hope they keep it up.

For some people, discovering that the director of THE FAMILY MAN is Ronny Yu, dynamic kung- fu/action director who went Hollywood to helm the B-listers BRIDE OF CHUCKY and FREDDY VS. JASON, will not come as very good news. But "FEAR" not - I have always believed that Yu is a solid talent who only needed some worthy material, and the script here is by none other than gloom-and-doom specialist Daniel Knauf, who gave us the outstanding chronicle of creeping dread that was HBO's undeservedly maligned series CARNIVALE. Knauf takes the opportunity to create a really twisted and dark satire and runs screaming with it!

A sharp subversion of all that is the American Dream (now more like the American SCREAM), THE FAMILY MAN starts off with a guy who IS literally the ultimate "family man", Dennis Mahoney (Colin Ferguson of the Sci-Fi Channel series EUREKA), a handsome, strapping, devoutly churchgoing pillar of the community, who has a lovely wife and two beautiful children, and THE ideal life to boot. The set-up in the opener is so treacly and NICE, you just know that some monumental dog crap is about to hit the proverbial fan.

Actually, it's Dennis that gets hit, at an intersection when he's blindsided by an errant old pickup truck, while yakking with the missus on his cell. (Let that be a lesson, kids - no matter what a good person you are, CELL PHONES AND DRIVING DON'T MIX!) At the hospital, Dennis awakens to see his family in the waiting room and tries to get their attention, but finds that he can't. You see, there's this little inconvenient snag he's run into. He's kind of...DEAD.

Well, he has a new "buddy" to break it down for him...the guy in the pick-up who hit him. His name is Brautigan (Clifton Collins, Jr.), and it just so happens that HE'S a family man, too...well actually, he's THE "Family Man." As in the serial killer responsible for butchering several entire families and videotaping the horror for posterity. Lingering in between worlds, he shows Dennis evidence of their deaths in the hospital ER and then vanishes, leaving him stunned and fading into unconsciousness.

Then, unexpectedly, Dennis wakes up again, but he can't move. He's handcuffed to his hospital bed, and one glimpse in the mirror is all he needs to explain why...

He IS Dennis Mahoney in spirit, but that spirit is now trapped...in BRAUTIGAN'S body. Oh, but the fun is already beginning, since even if you haven't seen this episode yet, you've probably already guessed where serial killer Brautigan's rotten soul is...

And that's about all you'll be able to second-guess about this episode. You don't even want to KNOW how it all ends...do you? You DO??? Well, watch for the rerun...And keep the smelling salts handy. You and Grandma are both gonna need them.

The best part about this episode besides the pitch-black satire in the script is the golden opportunity given to both Ferguson and Collins to play against type. It's fun to see Colin with his 'Every-guy' chiseled good looks, playing a psychopath just THISFAR away from losing his marbles, while Collins, who's like a slightly less-severe looking relative of Steve Buscemi, mines his trapped hero for every ounce of angst and sympathy he can muster, and does a brilliant job.

And that ending...M. Night Shyamalan will gnash his teeth for not coming up with this one. The basic plot is very similar to another film due out this summer called POSSESSION with Lee Pace and Sarah Michelle Gellar. But I wonder if the ending of that film will be as smartly "TWILIGHT ZONE"-ish as THE FAMILY MAN'S is.

FEAR ITSELF is batting at least two for three with me. Let's see if they can keep the momentum going...

Not A Third Strike

[ricardovs27 · 7/10 · 15 July 2011]

Finally, this series hits a good one.

The plot is a good one, although formulaic and used up; the actors deliver and the ending is awesome, worthy of EC Comics.

Ronny Yu, from "The Bride of Chucky" gives a lot of energy to the talky and slow burn script. The identity swap between a straight arrow and a criminal is always interesting to watch, if the execution is right.

And the Asian director nailed it, with a lot of tension, even with the major twist being seen miles away. Clifton Collins Jr. owns it and dominate every scene.

Well, the series avoided the third strike, with the first episode worth watching.

Stand-out episode

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 27 July 2012]

Affable family man Dennis Mahoney (an excellent and engaging performance by Colin Ferguson) switches bodies with vicious and cunning serial killer Richard Brautigan (a fine and credible portrayal by Clifton Collins Jr.) after having a near-death experience. Mahoney must find a way while locked behind bars to stop Brautigan from bumping off his family next. Director Ronny Yu, working from an ingenious and involving script by Daniel Knauf, relates the gripping story at a snappy pace, does an ace job of creating and sustaining a tense, creepy, and unnerving atmosphere, ably milks plenty of nerve-wracking suspense from the crafty premise (an uncomfortable dinner table set piece in particular is truly unsettling), and delivers a shockingly brutal and violent climax that's topped off with a devastatingly downbeat surprise ending. The stellar acting from the bang-up cast keeps everything humming: Collins and Ferguson play exceptionally well off each other, with tip-top support from Josie Davis as Mahoney's sweet wife Kathy, Stephen Lobo as no-nonsense defense attorney John Amir, Nicole Leduc as cute daughter Courtney, and Gig Morton as wide-eyed son Sean. John Spooner's sharp cinematography provides an impressively polished look. Jeff Roona's spooky score does the skin-crawling trick. One of this show's strongest hours.

Decreasing

[andoni21 · 4/10 · 21 June 2008]

I always have a problem with the movies or series of horror, there is huge material to show and always it becomes to the same thing.

The topic of change of body is very trite.

It is more adapted for a movie of comedy that for another thing.

Is sad to see a script lacking in originality, the history is not good, not even entertaining.

And is sadder see how a program that was promising much is declining.

I will wait with anxieties for the following episode, hoping that better, it is potentially, the only thing necessary to do is... that goes out

the killer turned to a good guy after the body swap? l-o-l

[Fernando-Rodrigues · 4/10 · 22 November 2020]

Although it's weak at all, it has a good plot twist (they body swap once again, and the father goes back to jail, for real.)