| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Special Features
None.
Editorial Reviews
Taylor Peters (Matthew Broderick) is a television writer and producer whose compulsive gambling, recreational drug use and drinking problem are jeopardizing his career and marriage. In a desperate attempt to save his marriage to Lorraine (Maura Tierney), he sets off to redeem himself by bringing home his 20 year old niece (Brittany Snow) who is living in Vegas and working as a prostitute. While there, he vows not to gamble a cent or drink a drop of alcohol. Alas, the best laid plans…
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Matthew Broderick has the rare gift of comedy.
He has the innate timing that allows him to deliver a funny line in the most tense situation, and still get his laugh.
That's what he does regularly in FINDING AMANDA, a terrific dark comedy from writer-director Peter Tolan, now available on DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment.
Broderick plays a once-successful television comedy writer on a downward spiral. He's a recovering alcoholic, addicted to gambling and he's about to be fired from the terrible sitcom he's writing.
In a desperate attempt to save his marriage (to Maura Tierney), he heads for Las Vegas, promising to bring home his runaway niece (Brittany Snow), who has become a hooker. But, sending Broderick to Vegas is like putting a person with an eating disorder in a candy store. By film's end, we're not sure which character needs saving the most.
Broderick and Tolan supply DVD audio commentary.
© Michael B. Druxman
He has the innate timing that allows him to deliver a funny line in the most tense situation, and still get his laugh.
That's what he does regularly in FINDING AMANDA, a terrific dark comedy from writer-director Peter Tolan, now available on DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment.
Broderick plays a once-successful television comedy writer on a downward spiral. He's a recovering alcoholic, addicted to gambling and he's about to be fired from the terrible sitcom he's writing.
In a desperate attempt to save his marriage (to Maura Tierney), he heads for Las Vegas, promising to bring home his runaway niece (Brittany Snow), who has become a hooker. But, sending Broderick to Vegas is like putting a person with an eating disorder in a candy store. By film's end, we're not sure which character needs saving the most.
Broderick and Tolan supply DVD audio commentary.
© Michael B. Druxman
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jaded, fun, interesting to watch and with just the right dose of realism
March 27, 2010
Format:DVD
Mathew Broderick has become a favorite actor of mine. I never was a Ferris Bueller fan, but after seeing "Election" I really started liking Broderick's work. "Biloxi Blues" was great too. "Finding Amanda" starts off at a pretty jaded pace, but at the same time it hits the nail right on the head with its characters coming to grips with who they are, though mostly the tone is light and comedic with black humor undertones.
It's interesting from beginning to end (a strange scenario) and easy to watch. His wife is the woman who played Jim Carrey's wife in "Liar Liar", and she puts in a similar performance which works. Broderick's character of sympathetic loser is comparable to his character of high school teacher in Election (great movie). If you liked either of those movies I think you'd like this as well. I found it wholly entertaining. It had a very appropriate ending.
It's interesting from beginning to end (a strange scenario) and easy to watch. His wife is the woman who played Jim Carrey's wife in "Liar Liar", and she puts in a similar performance which works. Broderick's character of sympathetic loser is comparable to his character of high school teacher in Election (great movie). If you liked either of those movies I think you'd like this as well. I found it wholly entertaining. It had a very appropriate ending.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm a bit surprised that this movie doesn't have more (and better) reviews--but I gather it didn't do much in the box office. I certainly hope that that fact doesn't discourage Matthew Broderick (as if he reads Amazon reviews of his films!) because this is a fine and beautifully made film and it shows, once again, what a very funny (and gifted) actor he is.
This movie is not a light and airy comedy, no question--it has a dark side. But life does have its dark sides and no one is better at shedding some light and humanity into that dark side than Broderick. Think back, even the movie that probably won him his most loyal following--Ferris Bueller's Day Off Bueller...Bueller... Edition (Special Collector's Edition)--has a very dark side to it. And so does Biloxi Blues for that matter (and wow is Christopher Walken great in that film).
And let's not forget Election which is one of the funniest films ever made and has an intensely dark side. Broderick seems to reach his full stride in these complex roles of self-examination.
This is the story of a Hollywood screenwriter who is having some, ummm, personal difficulties: alcohol, drugs, gambling, and a career that's headed for the crapper, to name a few. Then he finds out that his 20-year-old niece is a hooker (and drug addict in Las Vegas). Broderick ends up heading to Las Vegas, naturally, to try and rescue her.
There are some killer lines in this movie that Broderick delivers with such a skilled sense of deadpan that you barely notice them.... Read more ›
This movie is not a light and airy comedy, no question--it has a dark side. But life does have its dark sides and no one is better at shedding some light and humanity into that dark side than Broderick. Think back, even the movie that probably won him his most loyal following--Ferris Bueller's Day Off Bueller...Bueller... Edition (Special Collector's Edition)--has a very dark side to it. And so does Biloxi Blues for that matter (and wow is Christopher Walken great in that film).
And let's not forget Election which is one of the funniest films ever made and has an intensely dark side. Broderick seems to reach his full stride in these complex roles of self-examination.
This is the story of a Hollywood screenwriter who is having some, ummm, personal difficulties: alcohol, drugs, gambling, and a career that's headed for the crapper, to name a few. Then he finds out that his 20-year-old niece is a hooker (and drug addict in Las Vegas). Broderick ends up heading to Las Vegas, naturally, to try and rescue her.
There are some killer lines in this movie that Broderick delivers with such a skilled sense of deadpan that you barely notice them.... Read more ›
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I was lucky enough to catch this new film on HDNET free before it was release in theaters and I must say it's an excellent film! Broderick gives a winning performance as a 40 something guy with his share of vices.....most of them he's trying to give up. Having a hard time kicking his gambling habit and keeping his wife from leaving him. Broderick sets out to find his niece who is a hooker in of all places.....Las Vegas!
Funny and insightful, this movie has some great laughs, but it's smart and thought provoking as well! It's the best film I've seen Matt in since Ferris Bueller's Day Off! This is a very good film with good performances all around.
Funny and insightful, this movie has some great laughs, but it's smart and thought provoking as well! It's the best film I've seen Matt in since Ferris Bueller's Day Off! This is a very good film with good performances all around.
By NoPushover
Format:DVD
A trailer for Magonilia films prompted me to rent "Finding Amanda." Lots of indy and maybe not enough comedy, FA had it's moments.
A tragic character (Broderick) who finds a windy path to redemption (of sorts) and a seemingly upbeat character (Snow) who works hard to keep her damage "below the waterline" to keep up appearances. Stuck in the middle is a close-to-wasted peformance by my News Radio fave Maura Tierney who unfortunately has a phone glued to her ear in just about every scene. Bill Fagerbakke (remember TV's "Coach"?) chips in with a darkly humorous cameo that was one of the highlights of the film for me.
If you're stuck for pick, this ain't bad. The trailers for other Magnolia films might just push this over the edge of watchability for you.
A tragic character (Broderick) who finds a windy path to redemption (of sorts) and a seemingly upbeat character (Snow) who works hard to keep her damage "below the waterline" to keep up appearances. Stuck in the middle is a close-to-wasted peformance by my News Radio fave Maura Tierney who unfortunately has a phone glued to her ear in just about every scene. Bill Fagerbakke (remember TV's "Coach"?) chips in with a darkly humorous cameo that was one of the highlights of the film for me.
If you're stuck for pick, this ain't bad. The trailers for other Magnolia films might just push this over the edge of watchability for you.
Format:DVD
This book took many turns and twists. At one point your thought one character was the suspect and then it would change and it was focusing on another character. Thoroughly enjoyed.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
half-hearted comedy/drama
**1/2
Harried sitcom writer Taylor Mendon is a recovering addict and compulsive gambler who heads to Las Vegas to rescue his ditzy twenty-year-old niece from a career in... Read more
Harried sitcom writer Taylor Mendon is a recovering addict and compulsive gambler who heads to Las Vegas to rescue his ditzy twenty-year-old niece from a career in... Read more
Published on September 12, 2010 by Roland E. Zwick
3.0 out of 5 stars
What a strange movie!
Let me preface this, my husband bought this from a bargain bin so we paid next to nothing for it. With that said, it's an interesting movie. It's a dry comedy with a sad story. Read more
Published on May 11, 2009 by Christy
1.0 out of 5 stars
atrocious, had to turn it off
Starts innocuous enough, but once they get to Vegas it's one degenerative situation after another. Nothing funny that I saw. Read more
Published on December 24, 2008 by EugeSchu
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great movie, but I didn't like the frank dialogue
I would actually give the movie 3.5 stars because of the graphic dialogue and the language in the movie. Read more
Published on December 17, 2008 by camden0022
1.0 out of 5 stars
What an ugly little movie!
It appears that the only reason for this movie is to emphasize bad language, bad situations, and bad people. Read more
Published on October 17, 2008 by C Brunner
4.0 out of 5 stars
Must See!
A tv producer who loves drinking and gambling is sent to vegas to find his niece in desperate need of rehab. Read more
Published on October 2, 2008 by Jon Phillip
Look for Similar Items by Category
|
