Movie Notes: Then She Found Me
= 3 stars
Starring Helen Hunt, Bette Midler, Colin Firth
Directed by Helen Hunt
Synopsis
Nervous school teacher April Epner (Helen Hunt) is almost 40, married to a dorky man / boy Ben (Matthew Broderick), and childless. After a separation, she reunites with her biological mother Bernice (Bette Midler) and starts a tentative romance with co-worker Frank (Colin Firth).
The Good
- Helen Hunt, where have you been? Her tense portrayal of April is endearing and a prime example of late-middle-age, realizing life is passing by, and on the cusp of a personal breakthrough or breakdown.
- Colin Firth is solid as a single man with young kids, struggling with the seemingly simple idea of dating again.
- Despite the all-too-common “which guy will she end up with” routine, the plot provided enough unpredictable developments to my interest, one of which begins innocently enough with an ill-fitting bra.
The Bad
- Didn’t care for Bernice (Bette Midler), whose sense of humor seemed better suited for a dorkier comedy. Her lies regarding exactly why and how she gave April up for adoption soon becomes an unfunny running joke.
Conclusion
Then She Found Me contains two interesting performances by Hunt and Firth, who together paint an entertainingly awkward picture of middle-aged dating, making this an acceptable rental. It suggests better things to come from Hunt as a director.
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