THEN SHE FOUND ME [2007] [Blu-ray] [2007 / 2008] [German Release] Fine Unpredictable Comedy! Smart, Engaging and Funny! Award-Calibre Acting! Extremely Funny!
Following schoolteacher April Epner's [Helen Hunt] separation from her husband Ben Green [Matthew Broderick] and the death of her adopted mother, April Epner is contacted by her apparent birth mom Bernice Graves [Bette Midler], who turns out to be a local talk show host. As Bernice Graves tries to become the mother to April Epner that she was never able to be, April Epner seems to find solace in the arms of the parent of one of her students Frank [Colin Firth], only to find that the mystery to life's questions cannot be solved by a simple revelation.
With a sensitive tragic comedy about an educated lady in a midlife crisis, character actress and Oscar winner Helen Hunt tries her hand at directing a feature-length film for the first time. Prominent actors didn't have to be asked for long, including the Divine Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, and Colin Firth who is almost dispensable in this rom-coms business, as well as the love interest.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 2008 Palm Springs International Film Festival: Win: Audience Award: Best Narrative Feature for Helen Hunt. 2008 Ashland Independent Film Festival: Win: Rogue Award for Helen Hunt. 2008 Alliance of Women Film Journalists: Win: EDA Special Mention Award: Best Leap from Actress to Director for Helen Hunt. 2009 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Bette Midler.
FILM FACT No.2: ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Helen Hunt. The screenplay by Helen Hunt, Alice Arlen, and Victor Levin is very loosely based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Elinor Lipman. The film marked Helen Hunt's feature film directorial debut. In a bonus feature included with the DVD release of the film, Helen Hunt discusses her ten-year-long journey and struggle to get Elinor Lipman's novel Then She Found Me to the screen. After first reading it Helen Hunt tried to interest numerous studios in the material, and her unsuccessful efforts led her to begin writing the screenplay and raising funds to produce it herself. Long-time friend Matthew Broderick agreed to play the relatively small role of Ben Green for scale, and his commitment inspired Hunt to approach Bette Midler and Colin Firth, who were impressed by her passion for the project and agreed to work for minimum pay as well. Although Helen Hunt originally did not intend to portray April Epner, Helen Hunt decided that casting herself in the role ultimately would lighten her work load as a director since she would have one less performance to help mould. Janeane Garofalo and Tim Robbins make brief cameo appearances as themselves. The author Salman Rushdie portrays Dr. Masani. The film was shot on location in Brooklyn, including the waterfront community of Gerritsen Beach, and Manhattan. Interiors were filmed at Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The film's soundtrack includes For You by Duncan Sheik, In The Red by Tina Dickow, I'll Say I'm Sorry Now by Shawn Colvin, Naked As We Came by Iron & Wine, and Cool, Clear Water by Bonnie Raitt. Critical response to the film was mixed, whereas some critics praised the film for having strong performances, others felt the film was bogged down by a weak script and technical issues. Fans of the book took issue with the substantial differences between the book and the movie.
Cast: Helen Hunt, Bette Midler, Colin Firth, Matthew Broderick, Ben Shenkman, Lynn Cohen, John Benjamin Hickey, Salman Rushdie, Daisy Tahan, Tommy Nelson, Stephanie Yankwitt, Lillias D. White, David Callegati, Kenneth Stern, Robert LuPone, Chris Chalk, Alexa Scott-Flaherty, Marina Durell, Sadie Heston, Stephanie Berry, Lauren Klein, Cherise Boothe, Doug Hughes, Chelsea Altman, Stacie Linardos, Jordan Thaler, Michael Harder, Geneva Carr, Maryann Urbano, Maggie Siff, Janeane Garofalo, Tim Robbins, Edie Falco, Flo Ankah (uncredited), Adrianna Bremont (uncredited), Gustavo Cunha (uncredited), Brother Eden Douglas (uncredited), Audrey Fafard (uncredited), Hristo Hristov (uncredited), Rachel Konstantin (uncredited), Andy Miller (uncredited), Jonathan Roumie (uncredited) and Schuster Vance (uncredited)
Director: Helen Hunt
Producers: Chip Signore, Christine Vachon, Connie Tavel, Dana Jackson, Helen Hunt, Howard Behar, Jeff Geoffray, John F. Anderson, John Wells, Katie Roumel, Louise Goodsill, Matthew Myers, Monica H. Anderson, Moon Blauner, Pamela Koffler, Ralph Kamp, Sarah Arnott, Victor Levin and Walter Josten,
Screenplay: Elinor Lipman (novel), Alice Arlen, Helen Hunt and Victor Levin
Composer: David Mansfield
Costume Design: Donna Zakowska
Make-up and Hair Department: Dale Johnson (Assistant Make-up artist / Make-up artist: Ms. Helen Hunt), Joseph Farulla (Make-up department head), Tanya Rae O'Rourke (Make-up artist: Ms. Bette Midler), Gianna Sparacino (Key hair stylist) and Theodora Katsoulogiannakis (Assistant hair stylist)
Cinematography: Peter Donahue (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Color by Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: German: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio Description Service
Subtitles: German
Running Time: 96 minutes
Region: Region B/2
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Planet Media Home Entertainment / Odyssey Entertainment / Hunt/Tavel Picture / Killer Films / John Wells Production / Blue Rider Pictures
Andrew's Blu-ray Review: Cinema is littered with failed film made by big stars turned first-time directors. Eddie Murphy's ‘Harlem Nights,’ Ethan Hawke's ‘The Hottest State,’ Alan Cumming and Jennifer Jason Leigh's ‘The Anniversary Party’ and Madonna's recent ‘Filth & Wisdom’ are just a few examples of arguably terrible films that are clear reminders that sometimes, actors should stick to their day jobs. So it's a very nice surprise when, every once in a while, a film made by a thespian comes along that actually isn't entirely dreadful. Helen Hunt's ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME' is just such a film, one that's certainly flawed but made with such obvious passion that you want to cheer Helen Hunt on just for getting more right than wrong.
Based on the novel by Elinor Lipman entitle Then She Found Me, and Helen Hunt not only stars and directs brilliantly, but also co-wrote the screenplay with Alice Arlen and Victor Levin. Helen Hunt retains the basic structure of Elinor Lipman's novel and streamlining many of its subplots and characters. The premise veers into Woody Allen territory, a slice of Jewish urban angst that sees Helen Hunt as New York schoolteacher April Epner, a recent divorcee whose ex-husband Ben Green [Matthew Broderick] left her because of her desire to have children, which is only compounded after her adoptive mother unexpectedly dies. Attempting to re-start her life, April Epner finds herself in a myriad of dramedy complications, including the return of her intrusive biological mother Bernice Graves [Bette Midler], her comically morose brother Dr. Freddy Epner [Ben Shenkman] and a potential new boyfriend Frank [Colin Firth] who is the father of one of her students.
Although intrigued by Bernice Graves's claim she was fathered by Steve McQueen, April Epner initially resists her efforts to forge a relationship. At the same time, April Epner finds herself attracted to Frank, and as the two get to know each other via lengthy telephone conversations. For their first date, Frank escorts her to a party at Bernice Graves's apartment.
The story of ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ is nothing really new, but most of all it is very impressive Female Empowerment, and helping the tone of the film becomes very comedic most of the time and where we can immediately anticipate all of the staple scenes to come, including April Epner's first slapstick encounter with Devine Ms. Bette Midler, April Epner's meeting with the cute Colin Firth, and the eventual return of Ben Green aka Matthew Broderick, just at the moment when April Epner will need to make her crucial romantic decision of whether to pursue her new suitor. Though Helen Hunt's script and direction in bringing Victor Lipman's spiritual and thematic novel concerns to the fore, which gives ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ a very intellectual bent and very rare for a romantic brilliant comedy film.
Indeed, April Epner herself can be sometimes insufferable. Also April Epner predicament is certainly relatable, but sometimes can lack humour and warmth, which is not helped by Helen Hunt, who can come off sadly as a cold actress, but I can definitely say is most definitely not. It's very intriguing that, as Helen Hunt elaborates on the audio commentary, where Helen Hunt laboured for so many years to bring this story to the screen. Helen Hunt as April Epner's realisations are ultimately not all that revelatory, and her frequent wallowing in self-pity often makes her seem a passive bystander in her own life rather than an active participant. It's often frustrating to watch, and the film's denouement just isn't emotionally transformative enough to truly make the journey worth it.
What Helen Hunt does succeed in bringing to ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ is the insightfulness and her earnestness, or in other words, her sincere and intense conviction. Helen Hunt is refreshing in her lack of visual tricks and self-conscious camera moves, and instead aims for the immediacy of a stage play. Helen Hunt’s style is workmanlike and unpretentious, which allows the fine cast to shine. Though I found Ms. Bette Midler slightly annoying at the start of the film, but still gives a very good excellent performance, despite the slight problem of being slightly over the top, whereas Colin Firth brings a real charm to a potentially awkward character, while the underrated Ben Shenkman provides plenty of droll laughs. Ironically, Helen Hunt's own performance suffers even more by comparison, as Helen Hunt sometimes feels overwhelmed by the other characters in the film, they slightly steal the show.
‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ is ultimately a small film in every sense of the word, but has great big heart and soul and Helen Hunt is so committed to the story and her filmmaking that 'THEN SHE FOUND ME' is a film that you cannot help but root for her endeavour. It is so refreshing to find a film these days whose maker truly seemed determined to make, who has put so much heart and soul into her amazing project.
I can't leave it unsaid that what repeatedly struck me was why April Epner loved her husband and continued to connect with him. Ben Green was such a shallow and thoughtless person. To me, that particular character was the weakest link in the movie. Overall, I found many funny and poignant moments in the movie and think it deserves a look by a much larger audience.
THEN SHE FOUND ME MUSIC TRACK LIST
MAZEL TOV ZELDA – ZEYDNS TANTS (Written by Dave Tarras) [Performed by The Klezmatics]
FOR YOU (Written by Duncan Sheik) [Performed by Duncan Sheik]
HEAVEN (Written by Kiran Shahani and Shana Halligan) [Performed by Bitter:Sweet]
IN THE RED (Written by Tina Dickow and Mark Weston) [Performed by Tina Dickow]
I’LL SAY I’M SORRY NOW (Written by Shawn Colvin and John Leventhal) [Performed by Shawn Colvin]
NAKED AS WE COME (Written by Sam Beam) [Performed by Iron and Wine]
COOL, CLEAR WATER (edit) (Written by Bonnie Raitt) [Performed by Bonnie Raitt] (Edited version from the original song that appears on the Bonnie Raitt album Longing in Their Hearts via Capitol Records, 1994)
Piano Sonta No.11 in A Major K.331: I, Theme and Variations (uncredited) (Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) [Performed by Vladimir Selivokhin]
A Little Serenade No. 13 in G Major, KV 525 ''Eine kleine Nachtmusik'': II, Romanze Andante (uncredited) (Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) [Performed by Stuttgarter Kammerorchester and Karl Münchinger]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – Planet Media Home Entertainment, Odyssey Entertainment, Hunt/Tavel Picture, Killer Films, John Wells Production and Blue Rider Pictures presents us ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ a film that is hardly the type of material that screams high-definition, but this 1080p image presentation is very nice and pleasant, delivering a good-looking 1.85:1 aspect ratio picture but nothing more. The film has a realistic, non-stylised appearance. Colours are well-saturated and natural. The image transfer handles the palette well, however, with a clean look and accurate flesh tones. Detail is merely average, with a softness to the image which flattens out depth. The source is in good shape, however, with nice blacks and smooth contrast. Shadow delineation is average as well, with darker scenes offering little real fine texture. There are no major compression artefacts problems, noise and edge enhancement are not problematic.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Planet Media Home Entertainment, Odyssey Entertainment, Hunt/Tavel Picture, Killer Films, John Wells Production and Blue Rider Pictures brings you two main audio tracks that consist of German 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio experiences and of course the only option to choose is of course the second audio track and it serves the material very well, and even has a few moments of inspired subtlety. I liked how well-done the discrete sound effects and ambient atmosphere effects were achieved, which gives this audio mix a surprisingly strong rear speaker presence. The back channels are usually alive with minor sound effects or the composed music score, and sometimes in certain parts of the film you get some pronounced moments. The quality of the recording is impressive, with a wide dynamic range and low bass that is prominent but non-intrusive. Dialogue is also front-and-centre, as it should be, with spoken words always intelligible and never overwhelmed by the rest of the audio mix. So all in all, 'THEN SHE FOUND ME’ gets the right audio balance and definitely enhances this brilliant wonderful film.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Interviews [2007] [1080i] [1.78:1] [11:46] With this featurette, we get brief interviews from the main cast of the film talking about their contribution to the film, but mainly praising Helen Hunt for doing such a professional job in directing the film and also praising her for acting in the film at the same time, but one thing I liked in Bette Midler saying “It was Helen Hunt that brought me to this project.” We get to view lots of behind-the-scene filming. All in all, this is a really lovely and interesting featurette. Contributors include: Colin Firth, Bette Midler, Mathew Broderick, Helen Hunt, Ben Shenkman and John Benjamin Hickey.
Special Feature: Biography + Filmography: With this featurette, we get to view the following in-depth Biography and Filmography from the following cast in the film and they are Helen Hunt, Bette Midler, Colin Firth and Mathew Broderick.
Special Feature: Audio Commentary with Helen Hunt [2007] [1080p] [1.85:1] [91:37] With this featurette, we get introduced by director/actress Helen Hunt and says, so it’s me Helen Hunt, I co-wrote and directed this movie and also mentions the Killer Films identity and also says she is hoping to talk about what it was like to make this movie and assuming other first time film makers might be listening and Helen Hunt say she has listened to loads of other audio commentaries, and feels she has learned a lot and says the voice you are hearing at the start of the film is hers and taken word for word from a wonderful essay from James Hillman entitled Betrayal and also says it has taken her 10 years trying to find a way to bring the beautiful novel Then She Found Me by Elinor Lipman onto the screen and I happen to so thanks to a very smart friend because of that wonderful essay I mentioned to you. On top of all that, Helen Hunt had been searching for the ending of the movie and there was potential for it to be funny, and especially like a grown woman found by her real mother I wanted to be original, but I didn’t know what my secret in the movie would be and what the magic sentence would be, and a lot of the years I have spent trying to get the writing into a place I was happy with and looking for that motivation to get the film completed, and once I had found the essay and worked with it and frustrations, I finally found the creative sentence called “You can’t really love, until you have made peace with betrayal.” So once I had that, I wrote it on a 4 x 6 card and put it on my computer and also put it in my office and was we started making the movie, I showed it to Peter Donahue (Director of Photography), I talked about it to the Casting Director, and I gave it to every one of the cast so that we would be making the same movie, because there are a lot of different stories and I wanted to make sure we are all heading in the right direction and I will be talking a lot about that throughout this audio commentary and about a lot of choices I had to make, and bringing all the other departments along with me who were involved with the movie, and that is why I wanted to open the start of the movie in what you are watching, and says the fun fair you get to see is Coney Island, but the budget for film was minute and feels it is a better movie for having not a lot of money, but I needed to tell the story of my character and Matthew Broderick’s story. One big decision I made was the actress that played my mother Lynn Cohen, because I had seen her on stage and the minute I saw her, I said she had to play the part of my mother, because I knew the actress had the potential, and an hour from now, will turn into a Valentine towards her character, so I knew that I needed someone that was so very good and also had potential, and who understood something kind of deep about the relationship between those two characters of mother and daughter, that we would remember Lynn Cohen in a very powerful way, because she was that good. On top of all that, we get a wonderful in-depth comment from Director/Actress Helen Hunt and informs us that she recalls the difficulties of getting film production underway, as well as the responsibilities of working with a sizable cast and crew, especially when it is Helen Hunt's first time at the helm and especially having a dual job task of directing and acting in the film. Helen Hunt’s topics of conversation seem plagued with the typical “so-and-so was great to work with,” etc., but become thankfully more substantial when Helen Hunt discusses such things as the film's themes and the literary source material. Helen Hunt goes into detail in working with everyone and what a joy it was and the technical problems of directing the film and at the same time acting the scenes in front of the camera, but also thanking everyone in helping her through the mammoth task to make a film that was such a joy and great pleasure to do and was also such a joy to be introduced to the brilliant novelist Elinor Lipman and of course her equally amazing and fascinating book Then She Found Me. So as we get near to the end of this audio commentary, Helen Hunt says, that I should have cut the emotional lines I was saying to Colin Firth, but in the end I felt the words too important to cut them out. The scene I am with Colin Firth face to face, well that was written personally by Author David Naseer for me, and the music and song by Bonnie Raitt at the end of the movie, especially over the movies end credits was what I really wanted, because Bonnie Raitt is one of my all-time favourite musician and I felt the music was so perfect for the end of the movie and was a compulsion to the journey of my character in the movie, and that her character has finally adopted the Chinese little girl, and came late in writing the screenplay, and it took me awhile to understood what the movie was all about, and that her dream finally came true and at that point, this wonderful Helen Hunt audio commentary comes to an end. All in all, this audio commentary is well worth listing to, as Helen Hunt is a great person to listen to and you get to hear from Helen Hunt more totally fascinating rare insightful information on getting the movie up and running. All in all, this special audio commentary with Helen Hunt is a must featurette you have to listen to.
Special Feature: Gallery: With this featurette, we get to view 29 wonderful and intimate colour images of the main actors that appeared in the film, lots of nice intimate images and also some really nice behind-the-scene filming images.
Special Feature: Theatrical Trailers: With this featurette, we get to view six individual Original Theatrical Trailers and they are as follows:
THEN SHE FOUND ME [German] [2007] [1080p] [1.78:1] [2:27]
THEN SHE FOUND ME [English] [2007] [1080p] [1.78:1] [2:27]
I Could Never Be Your Woman [German] [2007] [1080p] [1.78:1] [2:27]
I Could Never Be Your Woman [English] [2007] [1080p] [1.78:1] [2:27]
Miss Potter [German] [2006] [1080p] [2.35:1] [2:16]
Miss Potter [English] [2006] [1080p] [2.35:1] [2:16]
BONUS: You get supplied a four page ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ leaflet with lots of colourful images from the film.
Finally, ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ is a very engaging, totally interesting and a very enjoyable fun and as well as a very thoughtful film, and a notable directorial debut for the star and actress Helen Hunt. This Blu-ray gives you a totally fine presentation, with very wonderful and excellent video images and also very nice and pleasant audio sound presentation. Still, ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ isn't really material that cries out for a high-definition presentation, but the Blu-ray release is undoubtedly the best this film has ever looked for quite some time. Devoted fans of the film's actors may be curious to check this title out, but otherwise sadly, ‘THEN SHE FOUND ME’ will probably float well under the radar for most people, but if you are in the mood for something totally different, totally brilliant and totally intelligent on Blu-ray, then this is definitely well worth taking a look and it is a wonderful winner all the way, as I never got to see this when it was originally released in the cinema, but wow what a joy to get this Blu-ray as all the actors give a truly outstanding performance and should of got some kind of gong for their efforts. But one word of warning, get your Kleenex tissues out, as this is a 10 hanky emotional roller coaster ride and I am so proud to add this to my ever increasing Ms. Bette Midler Blu-ray Collection, as I cannot praise this film enough. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
