Then She Found Me

I haven't read the novel this movie is based on, so I cannot comment on this film adaptation. The movie is watchable, but I find a number of aspects somewhat hard to believe. First of all, Helen Hunt looks way too old in the movie even to be playing a person who is almost too old to have a baby. She is really in her mid 40s and was playing someone who was supposed to be 39, but she looked more like 50. Second, the intitial interaction between April and her biological mother doesn't seem very believable. Third, the Broderick chataceter doesn't seem very believeable as a teacher. He doesn't seem like a teacher and apparently just walks off the job to go live with his mom. Fourth, April seems like she doesn't go to work very much for a teacher. After the first few scenes in the movie, she seems to be everywhere but school during the day. Fifth, the relationship between April and the father of her student seems a little quick and odd. Finally, April's desire to have a kid of her own at almost all costs seems a little unbelievable. Anyway, if you can get past all of these things, the movie is watchable.

I found this movie at my local library and when I saw the great cast I thought I'd give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. It is a quiet movie about characters but the plot had some surprising twists that were very realistic. The acting was the great part. Everyone (Helen Hunt, Matthew Broderick, Colin Firth, Bette Midler, Alan Shenkmen)were extraordinary. I really give Bette Midler kudos for not being over the top. She was spot on with her character and a breath of fresh air to watch. I recommend this movie.

An absolute gem of a movie. If you like RomDramComs you will LOVE this one. My favorite movie of the year. Of the last five years. And please, let's stop with the "chick flick" stuff. If a movie's good, it's good. "Saving Private Ryan" was great. "Then She Found Me" is great. The crackling dialogue between Hunt-Firth-Midler is more than worth the price of admission!

This is a comedy that does not ask you to suspend your belief and laugh at contrived situations. Each one of the characters - Hunt (a 39 year old childless women who was dumped by her husband but who still longs for a biological child of her own), Firth (a divorced father of two young children who is still recovering from his failed marriage), Broderick (an immature ex-husband who does not know what he wants), and Midler (a local celebrity who is doing all she can to gain the acceptance and love of her daughter whom she had abandoned during infancy) are flawed in their own ways. Yet, I can empathize with each one of them and find them all likable. The plot is different and in my opinion richer and better and more realistic than that of the typical Hollywood comedy. What makes this a good movie is that I do care what happens to each of the characters! The bittersweet situations in the movie were just the icing on the cake.

After watching the '07 attempt at romantic comedy `Then She Found Me' I can only assume the moral of the story is that `happily ever after' is no longer the goal in a relationship. It has now been replaced by the more realistic and they lived `somewhat content for the time being'. Yes, in my estimation the film is indeed that cynical and pessimistic. This assumption on my part is further supported by the Jewish joke told at the beginning and end of the movie. It's about a trusting child being told by his Father to jump off a high step only to be allowed to fall instead of being caught by his Dad as promised. What's the lesson? I guess it's something like even the ones you love the most will let you down, or worse, don't trust anyone.

Needless to say I didn't enjoy this film despite the presence of the usually charming Colin Firth and the always vulnerable, girl-next-door Helen Hunt. On the positive side there are some unexpectedly unique twists and turns in both storyline and dialogue but it's not enough to save this overall dismal film. Oh yeah, I liked Bette Midler in this one, thought I'd never say that about her in anything.