Prime (2005)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Ben Younger

Writer (WGA):

Ben Younger (written by)

Release Date:

28 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A therapeutic new comedy.

Plot:

A career driven professional from Manhattan is wooed by a young painter, who also happens to be the son of her psychoanalyst.

Plot Keywords:

Painter | Love | Therapist | Jew | New York City

Cast

Uma Thurman	...	Rafi Gardet
Meryl Streep	...	Lisa Metzger
Bryan Greenberg	...	David Bloomberg
Jon Abrahams	...	Morris
Adriana Biasi	...	Bay Ridge Blonde
David Younger	...	Brother #1
Palmer Brown	...	Brother #2
Zak Orth	...	Randall
Annie Parisse	...	Katherine
Aubrey Dollar	...	Michelle
Jerry Adler	...	Sam
Doris Belack	...	Blanche
Ato Essandoh	...	Damien
David Anzuelo	...	Bodega Counterman
Naomi Aborn	...	Dinah Bloomberg

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 on appeal for sexual content including dialogue, and for language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12A | Taiwan:R-12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Ireland:15A | Germany:o.Al. | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Netherlands:AL | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | Hong Kong:IIA | Malaysia:U | France:U | Finland:K-7 | Sweden:Btl | Brazil:12 | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Hungary:16 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-13 | USA:PG-13 (re-rating on appeal) | USA:R (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Prime Film Productions LLC

Trivia:

Sandra Bullock was originally cast as Rafi. Bullock wanted major script changes from writer/director Ben Younger but when he refused, she dropped out. Only two weeks before principal photography, Uma Thurman stepped in and replaced Bullock.

Goofs:

Continuity: Two obviously-different red Chrysler convertibles are used in the early sequence of David and Morris driving to Morris' ex-girlfriend's house. Close-up dialogue scenes filmed in the car show a large, conspicuous high-mount brake lamp on the car's trunk in the middle background, but exterior driving shots of the convertible show a different model, with no trunk light at all.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lisa Metzger: Oh, I'm sorry. It's so hot in here, and I can't figure this stupid thing!

Movie Connections:

References Beaches (1988)

Soundtrack:

GROOVE 2000

'A good Chardonnay can last...'

Though it's tagged as a romantic comedy, 'Prime' falls in between a comedy and a serious drama. What I liked about it is that it's a lot less sugar-coated than the usual romantic comedy flicks and more realistic (but that makes it predictable too). As a director Younger does an adequate job but he could have made the script tighter as 'Prime' does drag in the middle (only to pick up in the end). The dialogues are quite interesting and the therapy sessions are fun to watch but a few of the jokes fall flat. Meryl Streep does a good enough job (but she's not at her best and why are her eyes always reddish?) as Rafi's therapist and David's opinionated mother. Bryan Greenberg holds his own in a film with two established actresses. But, 'Prime' belongs to Uma Thurman all the way. She is simply terrific as the vulnerable Rafi and her transformation up till the end is effectively portrayed. On the whole, 'Prime' is a decent film with good performances. Not bad for a one-time watch.