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Movies / On DVD / My First Mister
My First Mister

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My First Mister (2001)

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Reviews Counted:79

Fresh:42

Rotten:37

Average Rating:5.6/10

Consensus: Though well-acted, My First Mister succumbs to contrived sentimentality in its last half.

Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: A rebellious teenage girl (Leilee Sobieski) who dresses in Gothic garb and wears harsh metal jewelry in the piercings that cover her face, finds a friend in a conservative middle-aged man (Albert... A rebellious teenage girl (Leilee Sobieski) who dresses in Gothic garb and wears harsh metal jewelry in the piercings that cover her face, finds a friend in a conservative middle-aged man (Albert Brooks) working in a men's clothing store. While the pair initially seem like total opposites, they soon learn that have a lot in common and can really relate to each other. Using a first-person narrative that is reminiscent of Wynona Ryder's unhappy teenagers in HEATHERS and GIRL INTERRUPTED, this film gives its full, uninterrupted attention to the cryptic mutterings of its protagonist, Jennifer (Sobieski). She has a vivid imagination and the ability to see the worst in everything. Her English teacher is evil and has fangs, her classmates are buxom bimbos who have recently undergone nose jobs, and her weird mother (when not talking about the benefits of women eating blood in the form of brisket for dinner) has friends that are fatter than elephants. Jennifer's visions are illustrated by distorted camera angles that make comedy of her exaggerations. But when Jennifer meets Randall (Brooks), a boring and equally pessimistic guy, her perspective changes. She wants him to accept her. And when he reaches out to her, she accepts him. MY FIRST MISTER therefore becomes a sweet story about friendship, self-motivation, and changing your life for the better. [More]

Starring: Leelee Sobieski, Albert Brooks, Desmond Harrington, John Goodman

Starring: Leelee Sobieski, Albert Brooks, Desmond Harrington, John Goodman, Carol Kane, Michael McKean, Mary Kay Place

Director: Christine Lahti

Director: Christine Lahti
Screenwriter: Jill Franklyn
Producer: Carol Baum, Sukee Chew, Jane Goldenring, Anne Kurtzman, Mitchell Solomon
Composer: Steve Porcaro
Studio: Paramount Classics

[See More Credits]

Reviews for My First Mister

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1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
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Suddenly this enchanting tale of cross-generational friendship becomes a Lifetime movie of the week, pat ending included.

Full Review Source: AboutFilm.com | comment Comment
10/15/01
Carlo Cavagna
Carlo Cavagna
AboutFilm.com

Starts out as a deliriously original “odd couple” comedy, and then hangs a quick left turn into shameless tear jerking.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
05/09/02
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
Apollo Guide

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
10/28/01
Russell Smith
Russell Smith
Austin Chronicle

What makes My First Mister a successful feature directing debut for Lahti is the emotional veracity it summons.

comment Comment
10/12/01
Jay Carr
Jay Carr
Boston Globe

These two characters are so particular and sympathetic that the whole movie could simply observe them.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/12/01
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Offers something rare for a modern movie: an uncynical depiction of the redemptive power of human relationships.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
10/11/01
Loren King
Loren King
Chicago Tribune
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Signals | comment Comment
11/27/01
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals

She’s not just tattooed and surly and he’s not just geeky and stern - their characters are beautifully written and fleshed out gradually and admirably by the actors.

Full Review Source: Cinerina | comment Comment
10/30/01
Karina Montgomery
Karina Montgomery
Cinerina

Franklin's gooey, implausible script is too ridiculous to support unexpected bouts of sincerity, and the darkness is seldom as profound as it should be.

Full Review Source: CNN.com | comment Comment
10/25/01
Paul Tatara
Paul Tatara
CNN.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A delightfully quirky and humorous account of a relationship between an older, conservative man and an alienated teenaged girl.

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
10/09/01
Harvey S. Karten
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve

A nicely observed, well-acted tale of mismatched friendship, until it takes a dive for the easy resolutions down the stretch.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
10/11/01
Chris Vognar
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News | comment Comment
08/09/02
Robert Denerstein
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News

It will have you smiling so much, that you may not even notice how close it comes to sliding into mediocrity.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
10/26/01
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Scene after scene suddenly rings with a resounding falseness [in the second half].

Full Review Source: DustinPutman.com | comment Comment
10/13/01
Dustin Putman
Dustin Putman
DustinPutman.com

Sobieski reaches for that dramatic depth we all knew she had in her.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
10/12/01
E! Online
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | comment Comment
10/18/01
Ebert & Roeper

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
02/28/01
Oz
Oz
eFilmCritic.com

The actors earn the couple of salty drops you may shed at the end -- the script sure doesn't.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
08/25/08
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Actress Lahti's feature directorial debut is a disappointingly sappy melodrama about the unlikely bond between a rebebllious high-school grad (Leelee Sobieski) and a dying older man (Albert Brooks).

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
01/29/07
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
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Latest News for My First Mister

August 20, 2001: 'I would never make a movie about a sexual relationship between an older man and a young girl,' says actor-turned-director Christine Lahti. Opens in new window
More...

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