By Linda Winsh-Bolard
April got married, but cannot get pregnant. She wants a child while her husband Ben informs her that he is not ready for marriage. The day after Ben leaves her, her Mother dies. And then she receives a letter in which a complete stranger claims that she is her birth mother.
Confusing enough? Add to this that April also meets, within nine hours, Frank, a single father of one of the children in the schools where she teaches, and that the attraction is mutual.
Of course, April makes certain that Bernice really is her biological mother; Bernice’s capacity for deceit is boundless. She also goes quite far to have a kid. And at the end, a relationship.
It is not quite a chick film, but it is not quite a drama or romantic comedy either.
Colin Firth is wonderful as slightly overwrought writer (book jackets for now) who takes care of his two kids (his wife left him to paint erotic pictures on a world tour). Many of his character strains are usually written for females, and Firth conveys them wonderfully. He is also gentle, firm and human man.
Bette Midler is more restrained than she used to be, but still fast-talking, overbearingly charming and very determined woman with a flair for playing the first fiddle. Helen Hunt looks drawn and older then usual. It fits the part into a certain degree, but her, otherwise fine, portrait of a woman overcome by uncontrollable life, suffers from of lack gentle smile, a bit of self effacing humor that she so often used in the past. Matthew Broderick is fine middle aged man who cannot grow up because his mother did not bring him up to be independent - or responsible.
There is charmingly sharp scene between April and Ben’s Mom when April comes to tell him she is pregnant. Mother opens the door but doesn’t let April to come in to see her husband. Finally April says: can Ben come out and play?
The biting (and completely true) sexually charged comments are -by women about men.
There are lovely scenes between April and Frank wandering the line of relationship between grown ups, who might behave like teenagers in love, but have enough introspection to see their behavior for what it is. Bette Midler trying to form a relationship with a woman she last saw as baby. Her ultimate choice, making her own life a priority, is accepted as it would have been were she a man. All that is refreshing.
Many of the characters are Jewish, but the cameo of the obstetrician is played by Salman Rushdie, nice touch.
There are twist and turns, just when you expect something to happen it changes, making the film unexpectedly interesting.
But ultimately it slips into the chick movie mode because April problems seem not to move beyond wanting a child and a man. I am sorry, but only women who are very well provided for, and have no ambitions or creativity, feel like that. I sincerely doubt Helen Hunt would feel fulfilled had she only had a child and a husband. To expect that other women require less than herself is either naïve or arrogant. If we do not want men to believe that we are that simple; we have an obligation to portray ourselves as more.
The film is based on a novel by Elinor Lipman. Helen Hunt adapted the story with co-writers Alice Arlen and Victor Levin It is Helen Hunts directorial debut, and we hope to see more of her work in the future.
A ThinkFilm release of an Odyssey Entertainment presentation of a Killer Films production in association with Blue Rider Films and John Wells Prods. Produced by Pamela Koffler, Katie Roumel, Christine Vachon, Helen Hunt, Connie Tavel. Executive producers, John Wells, Chip Signore, Louise Goodsill, Ralph Kamp, Victor Levin, Walter Josten, Jeff Geoffray, Howard Behar. Co-producer, Matthew Myers. Directed by Helen Hunt. Screenplay, Alice Arlen, Victor Levin, Hunt, based on the novel by Elinor Lipman.
April - Helen Hunt
Frank - Colin Firth
Bernice - Bette Midler
Ben - Matthew Broderick
Freddy - Ben Shenkman
Alan - John Benjamin Hickey
