My First Mister
A first feature from acclaimed actress Christine Lahti (who won an Academy Award for her short film Lieberman in Love in 1995), My First Mister explores the delicate relationship between two unlikely individuals who bring each other out of their protective shells. Jennifer (Leelee Sobieski), the film's narrator, is a Goth-obsessed, tattooed 17-year old who absorbs herself in death-laden music and poetry. Just graduating from school and immersed in a dysfunctional relationship with her out-there mother (Carol Kane), she finds a job at a local clothing store as a clerk. Her boss, Randall Harris (Albert Brooks), is a rigid, middle-aged type, who becomes uncomfortable when Jennifer begins to spy on him and follow his moves. She then cleans up her act a bit and lands a position as a stockperson, and Randall begins to take an interest in her. After a few outings where they attempt to relate their lives to each other, they begin to become close friends, effectively building confidence and bridging their considerable age gap. Also included in the cast are Desmond Harrington, Mary Kay Place, and John Goodman as Jennifer's hippie father. more..
Director: Christine Lahti
Starring: Albert Brooks, Leelee Sobieski, Desmond Harrington, Carol Kane, Mary Kay Place
About reaching out, about seeing the other person, about having something to say and being able to listen. So what if the ending is in autopilot? At least it's a flight worth taking.
Risks seeming too earnestly therapeutic for its own good. But what makes My First Mister a successful feature directing debut for Lahti is the emotional veracity it summons.
Offers something rare for a modern movie: an uncynical depiction of the redemptive power of human relationships.
While My First Mister has considerable charm, it suffers somewhat from comparison with "Ghost World."
The harder this film tries to be quirky and edgy, the more it feels like a run-of-the mill TV movie.
Best Feature
Chicago International Film Festival (2001)
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