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:

Albert Brooks, Leelee Sobieski, Rutanya Alda

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 | middle aged man | high school | death | 

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Taglines:

Meet the new odd couple.

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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:

26 October 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Educando a J.

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$102,456, 14 October 2001, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$621,377, 21 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

Leelee Sobieski's character, Jennifer, has a number of facial piercings, and cartilage piercings in both ears, but does not have her earlobes pierced - to which a reference is made in the movie. At the time the movie was made, Leelee herself did not have pierced earlobes, as she did not have them done until 2006. Specially for her part in this movie, she did, however, have both nostrils, both eyebrows and her lip pierced, along with the cartilage of both ears. After filming was completed, she removed the piercings and allowed them to close up again, but kept the jewelry as a souvenir of the movie.

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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

Randall ("R"): What's he like?
Jennifer ("J"): Oh, he's kinda like you.
Randall ("R"): He's an asshole?
Jennifer ("J"): Oh worse than that. He's a pathetic loser asshole.
Randall ("R"): That's my boy. So you *like* him.
Jennifer ("J"): Nooo. Are you mental?
Randall ("R"): Totally. I've gotten down with it. I've boogied.
Jennifer ("J"): OK Shaft.

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Connections

Features Here Come the Nelsons (1952)

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Soundtracks

I Enjoy Being a Girl
(1958)
Written by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II
Used by permission of RNH

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")