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

Matthew Perry Gets Bitter, Foul-Mouthed for Showtime

BuzzSugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:30:38 -0700

Last year, it was David Duchovny making his return to television on Showtime. This year, it's Matthew Perry. The ex-Friends and Studio 60 star will be making his comeback in The End of Steve, a pilot Showtime just ordered.

Perry will play a foul-mouthed (and I mean really foul-mouthed; the first word he utters is apparently a four-letter one starting with C) afternoon TV talk show host who's none too happy with either his professional or his romantic life. Perry is co-writing the script with Peter Tolan, an Emmy-winning writer and veteran of Rescue Me and The Larry Sanders Show. In a press release, Showtime's president called the duo "a twisted match made in heaven" and said Perry seemed perfect for the "bitingly funny" role.

I was surprised and impressed by Perry in Studio 60, and I'm glad to see him heading back to TV. While I chuckle at the thought of Chandler Bing being biting or twisted, I can't wait to see what Perry does with a dark comedy. The description of the character sounds a lot like Duchovny's Hank Moody from Californication, though, no? I guess Showtime has found its niche.

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