My First Mister (2001)

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

Director:

Christine Lahti

Writer:

Jill Franklyn

Stars:

Rutanya Alda, Natasha Braisewell, Albert Brooks

1 nomination.

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

Storyline

Jennifer does not fit in. A total misfit, she's as wacky as a teenager can be. Goth-ed out with multiple piercings, tattoos, and dyed hair, she listens to strange music, watches vintage TV, eats primarily chocolate, and self injures. But now high school is over and she needs a job. Can she possibly have anything in common with the overweight middle-aged man in the haberdashery window? He gives her a job, not to mention a real friendship.

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Plot Keywords:

piercing | tattoo | death | middle aged man | high school | 

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Taglines:

Mismatched. Misguided. Unmistakably friends.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual material

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Classics

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 July 2002 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Educando a J.

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$102,456 (USA) (12 October 2001)

Gross:

$621,377 (USA) (19 April 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ApolloMedia Distribution, Carol Baum Productions, Film Roman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

J has 4 copies of Anne Rice's "Interview With the Vampire" books on her table as well as The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy (erotic BDSM novels) by Anne Rice published under the pseudonym of A. N. Roquelaure. 'LeLe Sobieski', who plays J in My First Mister, purportedly auditioned for the role of Claudia in the film version of Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire but lost to Kirsten Dunst.

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Goofs

Reflected in the glass of the VW Beetle as it's being towed by the pickup truck.

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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?

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Connections

References Shaft (1971)

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Soundtracks

"Beyond the Sea"
(1945)
Written by Charles Trenet, Jack Lawrence
Performed by Bobby Caldwell
Used by Permission of Sin-Drome Records
(Publishers: Universal Polygram International Publishing, Inc., MPL Music Publishing, The Sukin Law Group on behalf of France Music Corp.)

User Reviews

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")