My First Mister

"Mismatched. Misguided. Unmistakably friends."

2001 1h 49m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 72

ComedyDramaRomance

Synopsis

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Leelee Sobieski is brash, abrasive and vulnerable as a teenage child of divorce who hides her pain behind a mask of hard-edged gothic rebellion. Albert Brooks plays a man who is her total opposite, a precise and well-ordered menswear store owner of forty-nine who manages limited expectations and protects lonely secrets with pleasant ritual and quiet, ironic reserve. These two total opposites collide in conflict then come together in a surprising alliance, changing each other's lives forever.

“Mismatched. Misguided. Unmistakably friends.”

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Cast

Albert Brooks
Randall ("R")
Leelee Sobieski
Jennifer ("J")
Desmond Harrington
Randy
Carol Kane
Mrs. Benson
Mary Kay Place
Patty (Nurse)
Michael McKean
Bob
Rutanya Alda
Woman at Apartment
Natasha Braisewell
Girl in Vintage

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Christine Lahti
Writers: Jill Franklyn
Languages: English
Countries: Germany, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 11% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

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International production across 2 countries: Germany, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Christine Lahti, shot by Jeffrey Jur. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Steve Porcaro. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Wendy Greene Bricmont shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Albert Brooks and Leelee Sobieski and Desmond Harrington carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Mismatched. Misguided. Unmistakably friends.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Christine Lahti directs. Jeffrey Jur behind the camera. Steve Porcaro scores. Wendy Greene Bricmont cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Germany, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 11% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
225 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3International production across 2 countries: Germany, United States of America.
4Directed by Christine Lahti, shot by Jeffrey Jur. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Steve Porcaro. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Wendy Greene Bricmont shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Albert Brooks and Leelee Sobieski and Desmond Harrington carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Mismatched. Misguided. Unmistakably friends.".
9IMDB entry: tt0206963 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 72 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
11Classified under 10 themes, including "high school", "friends", "misfit", "teenage girl".

The technical file

Cinematography: Jeffrey Jur
Original score: Steve Porcaro
Editing: Wendy Greene Bricmont
Production design: Dan Bishop
Runtime: 109 min · 1h 49m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $5,250,000
Box office: $595,005
Return: 11% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: My First Mister (2001)

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Christine Lahti

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2025-09-23
★ 7/10
Love is key to let down the mask and unite An alienated 17 years-old girl hiding behind piercings (Leelee Sobieski) applies for a job at a swank clothing store in a Los Angeles mall and starts an interesting relationship with the 49 years-old manager (Albert Brooks). But what’s the nature of their connection? The curiously titled "My First Mister" (2001) was Christine Lahti’s only directorial effort, as far as feature films go. It treads similar terrain as “Lawn Dogs” from four years earlier and does it better. Like that film, a few scenes come across a little awkward or unconvincing but, for the most part, it works and is more effective by comparison. The best of these types of movies, of course, is “Lost in Translation,” which came out two years later. Someone might balk that “Lost” takes a different direction and that’s obvious, but it doesn’t change the fact that these flicks tackle similar themes. They explore the nature of a profound connection between members of the opposite sex from different generations. Is it a spiritual connection in the sense of father/daughter or is it a romantic connection? If it’s the former, does that automatically omit any and all feelings of the latter? Needless to say, love is a powerful emotion and when a ‘love connection’ takes place, the participants have to be careful to channel such potent feelings in a positive direction. Otherwise, great destruction can occur. Be wise, my son; be careful, my daughter; and wonderful things can occur. As the proverb says, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.” It runs 1 hour, 49 minutes, and was shot in the Los Angeles area, including Westfield Century City (mall), Venice and Santa Clarita. GRADE: B

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