The Perfect Man (2005)

Teenager Holly Hamilton is tired of moving every time her single mom Jean has another personal meltdown involving yet another second-rate guy. To distract her mother from her latest bad ... See full summary »

Director:

Mark Rosman

Writers:

Michael McQuown (story), Heather Robinson (story),

Stars:

Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear, Chris Noth

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Teenager Holly Hamilton is tired of moving every time her single mom Jean has another personal meltdown involving yet another second-rate guy. To distract her mother from her latest bad choice, Holly conceives the perfect plan for the perfect man.. an imaginary secret admirer who will romance Jean and boost her shaky self-esteem. When the virtual relationship takes off, Holly finds herself having to produce the suitor, borrowing her friend's charming and handsome Uncle Ben as the face behind the e-mails, notes and gifts. Holly must resort to increasingly desperate measures to keep the ruse alive and protect her mom's newfound happiness, almost missing the real perfect man when he does come along.

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Plot Keywords:

mother | perfect man | suitor | e mail | moving | 

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Taglines:

Is it all too good to be true?

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some mildly suggestive content

Details

Official Sites:

Universal [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 June 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

El hombre perfecto

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$266,406 (Australia) (16 September 2005)

Gross:

$966,967 (Australia) (23 September 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Marc Platt Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

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

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Goofs

When Jean goes out with Lenny to the Styx tribute concert, it is a Saturday night. That same night, Zoe meets Amy at the Bistro to speak with Ben about a school project, which is "due tomorrow", which would mean Sunday.

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Quotes

Jean Hamilton: Well, it's different.
Holly Hamilton: So is a peanut butter and glue sandwich, that doesn't mean you eat it.

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Connections

References Bambi (1942)

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Soundtracks

"Let It Go"
Written by Jadon Lavik
Performed by Jadon Lavik
Courtesy of Bec Recordings
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

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