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:

Piercing | Tattoo | Death | High School | Mall

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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:

Jennifer ("J"): Death touched her lips to say goodbye and to always remember the man who touched her first, touched her with his heart. That is forever hers, my first mister. A man of few words. Life of more questions than answers. He awoken me my heart which beats stronger because of him and all that he has left me.

Movie Connections:

References "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960)

Soundtrack:

Beautiful

Relationships are what matter most

When deliberating why one story will resonate within oneself over another, you have to be honest about your own perspective on the things that are truly important in life, and those things that are tossed out with the garbage.

While the relationship between J and R is hinted at being more than merely platonic, it is only implied. The far greater impact lies in the strength of two disparate individuals finding self-worth and importance in the existence of another who finds them attractive to be with.

An older man will always find flattering the attention of an attractive (much) younger female, even if he cannot relate to her point of view on life. It helps that J is written in as witty and intelligent vs. say, something from out of "Clueless".

It is somewhat less believable that a gothic teenager would find an overweight, past middle-aged man attractive - except that the reason J finds R attractive has less to do with appearance and everything to do with the level of trust and respect he shows her after some initial verbal sparring, that really is quite believable. He affords her something that she simply is not expecting. You can imagine this happening.

Being accepted as you are and for who you are is the basis for all honest and lasting relationships. On this point the movie scores a bullseye.

LeeLee Sobieski is a real talent. Yes, she does look like Helen Hunt, but that is where the similarity ends.

Albert Brooks has always had a manner of delivering his lines as though he is making an appeal to his listener's better sense. He is a much underappreciated comedic talent.

A high recommendation for "My Fist Mister".