peter tolan Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Oh boy. Let me preface this review by saying that I truly go into all films (festival or otherwise) hoping to love what I see on the big screen. During the movie, I will always try my damnedest to find something worthwhile; something positive to say afterwards. But then you get to a film like Finding Amanda and there's really nowhere to go. Aside from a few cute one-liners, this film was a complete disaster -- to the point where I would strongly advise the creators not to screen this anywhere else until more work was done to it. I hate to be that guy, and I seriously have nothing against the filmmakers, but watching this flick felt like slowing down to check out an accident on the freeway. At first, it doesn't look so bad ... but then you get up close and everything is completely demolished.

Then again, we should've seen this coming. Right off the bat you have what feels like a comedy about a broken television writer/producer (Matthew Broderick) who, in order to prove to his wife that he's not a degenerate gambler/alcoholic, takes a trip to Las Vegas to convince their drug-addicted niece (Brittany Snow), who hooks for a living, to enter rehab. Gee, sounds like a laugh fest! But Broderick was great in smaller, quirkier films like Election; perhaps Finding Amanda would, well, find the right darkly comedic tone and take off from there? Yeah ... not so much. In fact, they should've renamed this one Finding the Right Tone.

The other day I was flipping channels (as I often do) and I stumbled across the movie War Games playing on one of my favorite High Def networks (HDNet Movies, in case you were wondering). It was just starting, so I decided to settle in and watch. I had not seen the movie in many years but as I watched it, I realized how much a part of my life Matthew Broderick and his films have been over the years. As I grew up, so did he -- and during that time there was always a film of his that I could watch, enjoy and relate to in some way. From War Games through Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Glory, The Freshman, Election and The Producers, Broderick and his films have consistently been an entertaining and welcome presence in my life -- like an old friend who comes to visit every so often.

Now Broderick is starring in a new film which sounds like it could be another one to add to my list of old friends. According to Variety, Broderick is set to star in Rescue Me co-creator Peter Tolan's feature writing/directing debut Finding Amanda. In the film Broderick plays an alcoholic and gambling-addicted TV producer who tries to convince his niece, who also happens to be a hooker, to go into rehab. Evan Rachel Wood of Thirteen and Running with Scissors is currently in negotiations to play Broderick's niece in the film.

I have to admit that after reading the description of Finding Amanda I'm on the fence about it. On the surface, it looks to have all the elements that go into making a successful film: the acting skill of Matthew Broderick, the writing and directing talent of Peter Tolan (his Rescue Me is one of my favorite shows) and the potential involvement of the very talented Evan Rachel Wood. All of these things together should spell "winner."

I really hope they do because the story sounds like the weakest part here -- more "movie of the week" or "after school special" than Hollywood feature film. Maybe once its all put together it will end up being great. With these people involved it really should be but I guess you can never be completely sure of anything these days. Finding Amanda is scheduled to start shooting January 3rd in L.A. and Las Vegas.

What's your favorite Matthew Broderick film?