My First Mister (2001)

Director:

Christine Lahti

Writer (WGA):

Jill Franklyn (written by)

Release Date:

26 October 2001 (Canada)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Mismatched. Misguided. Unmistakably friends.

Plot:

A 17-year-old girl has a troubled relationship with a 49-year-old man.

Plot Keywords:

Tattoo | Piercing | High School | Death | Gothic

Cast

Rutanya Alda	...	Woman at Apartment
Natasha Braisewell	...	Girl in Vintage
Albert Brooks	...	Randall - 'R'
Henry Brown	...	Jack Taylor - Salesman
Gary Bullock	...	Mr. Smithman
Kevin Cooney	...	Doctor
Nic Costa	...	Blaine - Surfer Boy
William Forward	...	Customer
John Goodman	...	Benjamin
Desmond Harrington	...	Randy
Shawn Huff	...	Woman at R's Store
Carol Kane	...	Mrs. Benson
Michael McKean	...	Bob
Chadwick Palmatier	...	Manager
Pauley Perrette	...	Bebe

Also Known As:

Mein erster richtiger Freund (Germany) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual material.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:12 | Spain:13 | USA:R | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Century City Shopping Center - 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

ApolloMedia

Trivia:

Michael McKean and 'Christine Lahti' worked together before. They were in rehearsals for a partly-improvised comedy film titled "Kiss the Bride." The project never came to the silver screen. It would have been directed by Bob Balaban.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Reflected in the glass of the VW Beetle as it's being towed by the pickup truck.

Quotes:

Randy Harris, Jr.: Wanna come up for lunch?
Jennifer ("J"): [Immitating Randy] I'll eat but I'm not talking.
Jennifer ("J"): [about "R"] And we didn't do it, okay! He's just the greatest person I met in my entire life!
Randy Harris, Jr.: Turkey and swiss okay?

Movie Connections:

References Sybil (1976) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Think I Love You

A Little Gem, With an Awful and Vulgar Title

Jennifer Benson (Leelee Sobieski) is a seventeen years old misfit punk teenager that uses piercing, tattoos, wears only black clothes and dyed hair, self-inflicts injures and has fixation for death. She misses a father and a normal mother, since Mrs. Benson (Carol Kane) has trouble in the communication with her, and feels absolutely rejected. While looking for a job, she meets the forty-nine years old Randall Harris (Albert Brooks), a lonely man who owns a shopping store, and he hires her. They are opposites but with loneliness and lack of friends in common. They become close friends, and their interaction changes their behavior for good while secrets and feelings are disclosed.

This is the second work of the excellent underrated actress Christine Lahti as director that I see (the other one is the short "Lieberman in Love"), and also a surprisingly great movie. The original and the Brazilian titles are simply awful and vulgar, and do not mirror this sensitive story of loneliness and friendship. Leelee Sobieski has another great performance in the role of a disturbed and rebellious teenager, needy of love and care, who changes her behavior when she meets her soul-mate friend in a middle-age man. I am not fan of Albert Brooks, but he is great performing Randall Harris, the man who touches Jennifer in the heart. In the end, a toast to all special "F" words: to friends, family, fate, forgiveness and forever. Wonderful and touching! My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Meu Primeiro Homem" ("My First Man")