The Perfect Man (2005)

Director:

Mark Rosman

Writers (WGA):

Michael McQuown (story) &
Heather Robinson (story) ...

Release Date:

17 June 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Romance

Tagline:

The story of a family that wanted it all. Never settle

Plot:

Teenager Holly Hamilton is tired of moving every time her single mom Jean has another personal meltdown involving yet another second-rate guy...

Plot Keywords:

Mother | Perfect Man | Suitor | E Mail | Moving

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Hilary Duff	...	Holly Hamilton
Heather Locklear	...	Jean Hamilton
Chris Noth	...	Ben Cooper
Mike O'Malley	...	Lenny Horton
Ben Feldman	...	Adam Forrest
Vanessa Lengies	...	Amy Pearl
Caroline Rhea	...	Gloria
Kym Whitley	...	Dolores
Aria Wallace	...	Zoe Hamilton
Carson Kressley	...	Lance
Michelle Nolden	...	Amber
Maggie Castle	...	Wichita Girl
Gerry Mendicino	...	Market Co-Worker
James McGowan	...	Jean's Suitor
Philip Akin	...	English Teacher

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mildly suggestive content.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-3 | Argentina:Atp | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Spain:T | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | USA:PG | Australia:PG | UK:PG | Ireland:PG

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The movie was based on Heather Robinson's life as a teenager in Tucson, AZ.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Fire sprinklers are controlled individually by a little glass vial of liquid which bursts when heated to a predetermined temperature. The glass vial is stopping the valve from opening, water will come out from the nozzle when the vial is broken. Heating up one sprinkler therefore will set off that sprinkler, not the entire restaurant.

Quotes:

Uncle Ben: Have you ever seen an orchid; how it floats in the water, so delicate and beautiful? When a woman gets an orchid; it's, well she feels like she's floating on a cloud of infinite possibility... Ben Cooper...

Movie Connections:

References Bambi (1942)

Soundtrack:

The Best of Times

Follows formula quite well

Hilary Duff has never made a movie on her own that I've liked. "A Cinderella Story" was mediocre at best and "Raise Your Voice" had to be on the worst films of 2004. "The Perfect Man" is another Duff vehicle that received horrid reviews, which is funny because I actually thought it was sort of decent. It is the type of movie that is bland and indistinguishable, yes, but also decently so. The storyline zips along with enough plausibility and chuckles for you to feel like the rental fee was worth it. Unlike "A Cinderella Story" and "Raise Your Voice," Duff is not a victim this time, which was refreshing. In fact, she's can be narcissistic and cruel. Heather Locklear plays her distressed mom, and I haven't seen any of her other films but I thought she was believable enough. Ben Feldman is affable as Duff's love interest and Chris Noth is quite good as a charming restraunteer. Speaking of Noth, a good way to sum up "The Perfect Man" is that it plays out a more extended version of a Sex and the City episode, only without the risqué humor or racy subject matter, which makes it a good fit for moms and their daughters. Not a great film, but it follows its dubious formula well enough for me to recommend it to some.

GRADE: B