By Paul Bartelt
Newport Beach, Ca…. A Family Man debuted last week at the 18th Annual Newport Beach Film Festival starring Gerald Butler and William Dafoe. Dafoe is retiring from the Chicago based Blackridge headhunter firm and the highly successful boiler room salesman Butler is competing with an ambitious female rival to see who will be Dafoe’s successor. Butler, a cut-throat workaholic, who spends 70 hours a week at the office, is too busy to spend time with his family. His dream is to own the company however it is not until his 10-year-old son Ryan is diagnosed with cancer that Butler decided to reset his priorities as a father and a husband to spend time with his family. After ignoring a 59-year-old clients contract, who he deemed a difficult elderly placement, Butler eventually recommends him for a job and offers to collect no commission fee if he is selected. After he accepts the position Dafoe finds out the company forgave the $ 20,000 commission which leads to Butlers immediate termination. Director Mark Williams tells an emotional story about a father and husband (Butler) who realizes what is truly important in his life. In the end, Ryan awakes from his coma and the family’s future looks bright.