Suddenly this enchanting tale of cross-generational friendship becomes a Lifetime movie of the week, pat ending included.
My First Mister (2001)
Tomatometer
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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
Reviews for My First Mister
Starts out as a deliriously original “odd couple” comedy, and then hangs a quick left turn into shameless tear jerking.
What makes My First Mister a successful feature directing debut for Lahti is the emotional veracity it summons.
These two characters are so particular and sympathetic that the whole movie could simply observe them.
Offers something rare for a modern movie: an uncynical depiction of the redemptive power of human relationships.
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.
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.
A delightfully quirky and humorous account of a relationship between an older, conservative man and an alienated teenaged girl.
A nicely observed, well-acted tale of mismatched friendship, until it takes a dive for the easy resolutions down the stretch.
It will have you smiling so much, that you may not even notice how close it comes to sliding into mediocrity.
Scene after scene suddenly rings with a resounding falseness [in the second half].
The actors earn the couple of salty drops you may shed at the end -- the script sure doesn't.
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).
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