BuzzSugar

Finding Amanda: Never Finds Its Footing

BuzzSugar — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:30:43 -0700

For me, there are two big issues with writer/director Peter Tolan's feature-length debut: some crazy, disconcerting tonal shifts and a crazy, disconcerting casting choice. There's also a third, less important issue adding to my perplexity about Finding Amanda which is that Matthew Broderick lifelessly sleepwalks through his role.

Tonally, the movie seems to have no idea what it wants to be and vacillates between screwball comedy, dark humor, high drama, and bleak character study. Sometimes, when you toss those elements into a bag and shake them up, you get something pretty cool. But in this case, it's not cool. In fact, it reminds me of sitting in a car while someone learns how to drive a stick shift, getting jerked around uncomfortably between gears the entire ride. The gear shifts in this movie are so jarring emotionally that it made me want to get the heck out of that car.

To see why I think Brittany Snow should never, ever play another prostitute, read more.

In the opening we meet Matthew Broderick's character, Taylor Peters, a TV writer who's working on a low-rated comedy. We quickly discover he's a bit of an industry loser due to his many addiction problems (drugs, alcohol, etc.). He's supposedly kicked most of these habits at the behest of his wife (played by Maura Tierney) - except for gambling on horse races. Throughout this entire setup, Broderick has some life in him, giving big puppy dog eyes to the camera as he lies to his wife about being at the tracks. All the while, bouncy music a la Curb Your Enthusiasm plays along in the background.
But things begin to unravel for Taylor when his wife threatens to leave him and in some strange attempt to prove his worth, he decides to save their niece Amanda (Snow) who is working as a prostitute in Vegas. This is about when things seriously unravel for the audience, too, because we are suddenly jerked into another gear when the bright eyed, sing-songy Amanda joyfully describes to her uncle in explicit detail the sexual acts she performs as a prostitute.

She also reveals a terribly shocking secret about her past, to which Broderick basically responds with a shrug.

Um, I never want to hear some of these words coming out of Snow's mouth again. It is like watching a Disney movie where suddenly the princess admits she was raped as a girl. It's icky, uncomfortable and completely outside of Snow's acting range. This is all even more disconcerting when Snow is directed to quit with the peppy "Hey, Uncle, I'm a happy hooker!" shtick and is breaking down in a bathroom stall. Her breakdown doesn't make you feel a thing besides "Wait. . .wha??"

On some level, this project could be seen as a valiant try. Maybe give it an "A" for effort because it's not unintelligent and there are some good laughs. But the execution is so poor and actors so off that it's hard to care about it one way or another.

Photos courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Movie Preview: Diminished Capacity

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:30:26 -0700

Another day, another trailer for a movie from this year's Sundance Film Festival. Today's features Matthew Broderick and Alan Alda as an uncle-nephew duo in Diminished Capacity. The plot is this: "A man (Broderick) suffering from memory [trouble] takes a trip to a memorabilia expo with his Alzheimer's-impaired relative (Alda) and his high school flame (Virginia Madsen), where the trio plans to. . . sell a rare baseball card."

I didn't get to see this one at Sundance, but my friend Molly did and she said it was pretty good. Sad, of course, but also touching and well-acted. Diminished Capacity opens in limited release July 8. To check out the trailer, read more.

Movie Preview: Finding Amanda

BuzzSugar — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:30:42 -0700

You know, if someone told me Ferris Bueller grew up to have a gambling problem, I'd totally believe it. Which is probably why I watched the trailer for Finding Amanda with a little smile. It looks like the first role in a long time that lets Matthew Broderick stretch those acting muscles we know are in there, and he's paired with the lovely Brittany Snow.

The plot for this movie, which I missed when I was at Sundance, is this: "A television producer with a penchant for drinking and gambling is sent to Las Vegas to convince his troubled niece to enter rehab."

Finding Amanda is due out June 27 and you can see the trailer if you read more.

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Then She Found Me: A Sweet Treat for Mother's Day

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 06:30:30 -0700

The first thing actress-turned-director Helen Hunt's film has going for it is a capable and enchanting cast that includes Hunt, Colin Firth, Matthew Broderick, and Bette Middler. I have a hard time calling Then She Found Me a romantic comedy because, unlike recent additions to the genre, no one in this cast plays a scene for an easy laugh. Instead, each actor approaches his or her character as a human being - as complicated and flawed as any of us. The humor comes, as in life, with truth. Specifically, Midler's character could easily become a farcical caricature but instead is played with such restraint that the result is both touching and funny.

The movie follows April (Hunt), a middle-aged elementary school teacher who is adopted, yet when faced with trouble getting pregnant, refuses adoption as an option. Yes, Hunt is quite thin in this film, but it didn't shock me so much as it seemed like the physical state of a woman who is exhausted by her frustrating situation, which is compounded by marriage problems and a death in the family.

The joy of the movie comes from the way in which Hunt's character begins to open her heart to a new love - and to her biological mother. A touching story about motherhood? What perfect timing! To see the other reasons I enjoyed this little film, read more.

I don't think I've ever seen adoption handled onscreen in quite this way before, specifically the way this story (based on the novel by Elinor Lipman) subtly explores the identity issues an adoptee may have later in life. April's struggle to come to terms with being an adopted child has started to seep into her daily life, and she tries to find clarity when it comes to her relationships. Matthew Broderick plays Ben, April's emotionally immature husband who decides he doesn't want to be married soon after they're wed. So, he moves in with his mom. Yeah, he's that guy. But despite his Peter Pan complex (and his less-than-crushworthy physique), April has a hard time moving on, even with the steadfast Frank (Firth playing a role that's familiar but no less adorable), who is ready and able to love her.

Just as April's love life couldn't be more complicated, her adopted mother dies and her charismatic, self-absorbed birth mother, Bernice Graves (Midler) decides she wants a relationship with her. Of course, Bernice doesn't bat an eye at the havoc she might wreak on her biological daughter's life by entering it. All of these forces combine to take April on an emotional journey that is interesting and often funny.

This film isn't perfect and some scenes feel just a touch overwrought, or the dialogue is a teeny bit stilted or "artsy" - a word that came to mind during exchanges like, "Is it you?" "It's me, is it you?" "It's me." But the performances are emotional and sometimes unsettling, the laughs are earned and best of all, the plot is anything but predictable. It all amounts to a terrific directorial debut by Hunt as well as a treat for those of us who like a good laugh and an honest tug at the old heartstrings. Take your mom if you can.

Photos courtesy of THINKFilm

Movie Preview: Then She Found Me

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:30:44 -0700

Prepare your "ahh"s and your "yay!"s because the trailer for Helen Hunt's directorial debut, Then She Found Me, is packed with adorable actors (Bette Midler, Colin Firth, Matthew Broderick), charming moments, humor, and romance.

Helen Hunt is both director and star of this movie based on a bestselling novel by Elinor Lipman which centers around a woman who's biological mother (Midler) comes smashing into her life right as her romantic world seems to be unraveling. I'm so glad to see Hunt back to perfectly embodying the decent, intelligent woman who wears her heart on her sleeve. She described this project as a "very weird, funny story," and I can't wait to check it out.

The movie will open in limited release May 2. To take a gander at the trailer for yourself, read more.

Photo courtesy of THINKFilm

Link Time! 3/11

BuzzSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:31:47 -0700

Popwatch is thrilled to see that Square Pegs, starring a baby-faced Sarah Jessica Parker, is finally on DVD, and wants to know what TV shows you're dying to see released on DVD. My vote goes to Ally McBeal.
Cinematical has all sorts of South by Southwest film news and reviews, including a super great review of The Promotion, an indie comedy starring John C. Reilly and Sean William Scott.
Goldie Hawn and Matthew Broderick have popped up on TV Squad's list of actors who should consider small-screen gigs.
If you didn't watch The Bachelor's "where are they now" special, TV Filter tells us, um, where they are now.
Idolator is pumped for the Pitchfork Music Festival, which will feature Public Enemy, Vampire Weekend, M. Ward, and Animal Collective, among others.
With Fox seemingly rolling out a new show every night, The TV Addict delivers a make your own Fox show Mad Libs game.
Check out PetSugar's adorable slideshow of her top 10 movies that star animals, including Best in Show and The Truth About Cats and Dogs, among others.
Vulture has a shot-by-shot commentary on the final scenes of The Wire.

Recast Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Win a Prize!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 13:14:54 -0700

Every Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

For this week's challenge, I chose a film that will always be a classic in my eyes: Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Ferris was one of those charmed kids who could get away with anything just by flashing his impish grin - even dancing on a parade float right beneath his father's office window.

And what adventure-filled "sick" day would be complete without a team of accomplices? There's Ferris' pretty girlfriend Sloane, his woeful buddy Cameron, and his snide sister Jeanie. If you could recast this lovable 1986 movie with any actors of your choosing, who would you pick? Leave your entry in the comment section below by the end of the day TODAY, and I'll pick one winner to feature Tuesday, April 17, complete with a "new" cast photo. To see a list of characters to recast and a photo of the BuzzSugar t-shirt, read more

Special shout-out to Lindsb for sending in the suggestion for this Recast!

Characters to recast:
Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick)
Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara)
Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck)
Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones)
Jeanie Bueller (Jennifer Grey)

The BuzzSugar t-shirt

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What to TiVo: Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:50:05 -0800

ABC is new with V, Dancing With the Stars, and The Forgotten
CBS is new with NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, and The Good Wife
FOX is new with So You Think You Can Dance
NBC is new with The Biggest Loser
The CW is new with 90210 and Melrose Place
Bravo is new with Kathy Griffin: Balls of Steel and Tabatha's Salon Takeover
E! is new with Secret Celebrity
MTV is new with The Hills and The City
Comedy Central is new with The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report
FX is new with Sons of Anarchy
Late-night highlights include Al Gore and Brad Paisley on The Late Show With David Letterman on CBS; Pamela Anderson on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC; Valerie Bertinelli on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson on CBS; Arnold Schwarzenegger on The Jay Leno Show on NBC; Neil Patrick Harris and Creed on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien on NBC; and Matthew Broderick and Reba McEntire on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC