Finding Amanda (2008)

Load of rubbish!!

Best movie of this year hands down!

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The first must-see film of the year.

I've only seen the trailer, which I downloaded last night. I was doing research on Brittany Snow, and recognized the poster as an image remembered from my days scouring video shops. For some reason I never got around to this title, despite the attractive girl on the box. I wondered why? An oversight, I thought. Began scouting. Poor choices. Local stuff with weak box image, and foreign stuff with Polish language all over the cover. No fun that way. Okay, is this really gonna be worth it? So downloaded the trailer. And thank you, Tubidy, you saved me a bundle. This is dreary and humdrum and bleak and like one of the other reviewers headlined, "half- hearted" and that is only the trailer. But, believe me, if a trailer looks like a shabby product, it's not gonna be anything else but a shabby product. Looks like some TV movie on a very conservative channel showing something a little bit controversial in subject matter. No doubt there will be some moments of laughter but everything seems down-class with an unimpressive cast.I could be wrong, maybe it's a gem if you see the whole thing. But I wouldn't bet on that. No way. Trailers looking A+ could still lead to ol' dogs, but boring ones indicate surefire losers.The basic idea holds promise, that I concede. But...Back then, in the video shop, I can only gather now something tipped me off. Ten years ago, I just can't remember, but good call! Waste of time, this kind of unpromising, ostensibly paltry effort.

This is a really good black comedy. A gambling addict takes a trip to Vegas to rescue his niece from a life of hooking.Britney Snow is very good - she plays it straight and doesn't overact or make it silly. Broderick has found a role he is suited for. His deadpan is great. Facinelli is great as the sleaze bag boyfriend. The scene with him at the dinner is priceless. But it is the writing that is the best. The way the dialog and situations unfold is fresh and spontaneous.The ending is realistic and although it is a comedy it has a good believable ending. It's also a good look at addiction. There is a moral to the story.

This film was like Leaving Las Vegas on reverse. It is all about people trapped in lives they can't escape from, regardless of their efforts. Matthew Broderick gives a very good performance, while all the other actors support him beautifully.It is not a great movie, but it certainly deserves a higher IMDb grade. I believe that the low rating comes from the fact that it didn't end with a happy ending as most people would expect.Bottom line: A movie about the failing of the human heart, a bit funny, without it being a comedy, mostly a drama, but coated in tear-proof material. It is a film for adults, regardless of their age. Watch it, it might surprise you.

I enjoyed this movie and think that it should find an audience in theaters. This movie is described as a comedy and while it is funny, it is also kind of sad at times. I don't understand the other review that totally trashes it. It's not the greatest movie but certainly above average in most areas. There are some great comedic moments primarily because of Matthew Broderick's expressions, timing and his overall lovable loser persona. Brittany Snow gives a strong performance as well. The supporting cast also gives very good performances. I found some of the more serious moments very touching. The writing is a bit off beat and at times, misplaced, but the actors do a wonderful job trying to compensate for that. There is also great chemistry between Matthew and Brittany, reminded me a lot of Election with Matthew and Reese Witherspoon. Go see it!!!