Then She Found Me (2007)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Helen Hunt

Writers:

Alice Arlen (screenplay) and
Victor Levin (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 May 2008 (Israel)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Life can change in a heartbeat.

Plot:

A New York schoolteacher hits a midlife crisis when, in quick succession, her husband leaves, her adoptive mother dies and her biological mother...

Plot Keywords:

Talk Show Host | Mother Daughter Relationship | Biological Clock | Doctor | Earache

Awards:

2 wins

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 14

5:00 PM

LIFE

Cast

Helen Hunt	...	April Epner
Bette Midler	...	Bernice Graves
Colin Firth	...	Frank
Matthew Broderick	...	Ben Green
Ben Shenkman	...	Dr. Freddy Epner
Lynn Cohen	...	Trudy Epner
John Benjamin Hickey	...	Alan
Salman Rushdie	...	Dr. Masani
Daisy Tahan	...	Ruby
Tommy Nelson	...	Jimmy Ray
Stephanie Yankwitt	...	Stacey
Lillias White	...	Sheila (as Lillias D. White)
David Callegati	...	Gianni
Rabbi Kenneth Stern	...	Rabbi (as Rabbi Kenneth A. Stern)
Robert LuPone	...	Ted
Chris Chalk	...	Orderly
Alexa Scott-Flaherty	...	Mother #2
Marina Durell	...	Attendant
Sadie Heston	...	Trudy Jr.
Stephanie Berry	...	Principal Petticord
Lauren Klein	...	Alice
Cherise Boothe	...	Mother #1
Doug Hughes	...	Bernice Fan
Chelsea Altman	...	Girl in Freddy's Bed
Stacie Linardos	...	Anne
Jordan Thaler	...	Jordan
Michael Harder	...	Michael
Geneva Carr	...	Woman in Her 20s
Maryann Urbano	...	Woman in Her 30s
Maggie Siff	...	Girlfriend
Janeane Garofalo	...	Herself
Tim Robbins	...	Himself
Edie Falco	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Floanne Ankah	...	Production Assistant (uncredited)
Adrianna Bremont	...	Trudy's Niece (uncredited)
Gustavo Cunha	...	Student (uncredited)
Brother Eden Douglas	...	Penthouse Benefit Guest (uncredited)
Audrey Elizabeth Fafard	...	Penthouse Host (uncredited)
Hristo Hristov	...	Camera Operator (uncredited)
Rachel Konstantin	...	April's Cousin (uncredited)
Andy Miller	...	Limo Driver (uncredited)
Jonathan Roumie	...	Partygoer (uncredited)
Schuster Vance	...	Husband at PTA Meeting (uncredited)

Directed by
Helen Hunt

Writing credits
Alice Arlen		(screenplay) and
Victor Levin		(screenplay) and
Helen Hunt		(screenplay)
Elinor Lipman		(novel)

Produced by
John F. Anderson	....	executive producer: Black Wartch Productions (segment "The Bernice Graves Show")
Monica H. Anderson	....	producer: Black Watch Productions (segment "The Bernice Graves Show")
Sarah Arnott	....	associate producer
Howard Behar	....	executive producer
Moon Blauner	....	associate producer
Jeff Geoffray	....	executive producer
Louise Goodsill	....	executive producer
Helen Hunt	....	producer
Dana Jackson	....	co-producer
Walter Josten	....	executive producer
Ralph Kamp	....	executive producer
Pamela Koffler	....	producer
Victor Levin	....	executive producer
Matthew Myers	....	co-producer
Katie Roumel	....	producer
Chip Signore	....	executive producer
Connie Tavel	....	producer
Christine Vachon	....	producer
John Wells	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Mansfield

Cinematography by
Peter Donahue		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pam Wise

Casting by
Bernard Telsey		(as Bernie Telsey)

Production Design by
Stephen Beatrice

Set Decoration by
Cristina Casanas

Costume Design by
Donna Zakowska

Makeup Department
Joseph Farulla	....	makeup department head
Dale Johnson	....	assistant makeup artist
Dale Johnson	....	makeup artist: Ms. Hunt
Theodora Katsoulogiannakis	....	assistant hair stylist
Tanya Rae O'Rourke	....	makeup artist: Ms. Midler
Gianna Sparacino	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Jenifer Chatfield	....	post-production supervisor
Gabrielle Mahon	....	production supervisor
Matthew Myers	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lauren Guilmartin	....	second second assistant director (as Lauren Kells Guilmartin)
Brian Kenyon	....	second assistant director
Chip Signore	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jasmine E. Ballou	....	property assistant (as Jasmine Ballou)
Travis Child	....	camera scenic artist
Taylor Drake	....	leadman
Colin Eletto	....	art production assistant
Isaac Gabaeff	....	property master
Thyra Heder	....	storyboard artist
Juvenel Levros	....	art production assistant
James Maher	....	set dresser (as James J. Maher)
Melissa B. Miller	....	assistant to production designer
Martin Murray Jr.	....	prop intern (as Joe Murray)
Michael Powsner	....	set dresser (as Mike Powsner)
Niquan Riley	....	on-set dresser
Pierre Rovira	....	construction coordinator
Courtney Schmidt	....	property assistant
Jamie Birkett	....	props (uncredited)
Lou Charles	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Gavin A. Holmes	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Richard Moran	....	construction grip (uncredited)
Christian Reinhardsen	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Candice Baldwin	....	sound effects editor
John Bires	....	additional sound services
Courtney Bishop	....	adr recordist
David Boulton	....	adr mixer
Zane D. Bruce	....	foley artist (as Zane Bruce)
Rick Camera	....	sound recordist (as Rick Camara)
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer
Mitch Dorf	....	adr mixer
Lisle Engle	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Flinchbaugh	....	first assistant sound editor
Brian Gallagher	....	adr recordist
Don Givens	....	foley artist
Darlene Gorzela	....	additional sound services (as Darlene Gorzola)
Glynna Grimala	....	adr editor
Glynna Grimala	....	dialogue editor
Ken Ishii	....	production sound mixer
Duke Lim	....	additional sound services
Gavin McNiece	....	adr recordist
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising sound editor
Bob Rosenthal	....	additional sound services
Adam Sanchez	....	boom operator
Becky Sullivan	....	adr editor
Becky Sullivan	....	dialogue editor
Ken Teaney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	adr editor
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	dialogue editor
David Young	....	additional sound services
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Arda Gulesserian	....	additional sound services (uncredited)
Mike Howells	....	additional sound services (uncredited)
Jay Rubin	....	additional sound services (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
John Campuzano	....	visual effects coordinator: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Michael Caplan	....	digital effects supervisor: Engine Room
Stephen Chiu	....	digital effects coordinator: Engine Room
Alan De Castro	....	digital artist: Pacific Title and Art Studio (as Alan DeCastro)
Mary Dowd	....	digital effects artist: Engine Room
Emily Fenster	....	visual effects producer: Pacific Title and Art Studio
David Geoghegan	....	digital artist: Pacific Title and Art Studio (as Dave Geoghegan)
Eric Heavens	....	lead digital effects artist: Engine Room
Louise Keating	....	digital effects artist: Engine Room
Cristian A. Kong	....	digital artist: Pacific Title and Art Studio (as Cris Kong)
Ladd Lanford	....	visual effects producer: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Miles Lauridsen	....	digital artist: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Matt Melis	....	digital artist: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Adam Simpson	....	visual effects editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Arisohn	....	set electrician
Adam Benlifer	....	electrician
Jessica Bennett	....	grip
Terrence C. Burke	....	camera dolly grip (as Terrence Burke)
Liz Campbell	....	grip
Christopher Cannucciari	....	set electrician
John Carreon	....	camera intern
Edward Cohen	....	gaffer
Leighton Edmondson	....	rigging gaffer (as Leighton Edmonson)
Michael Dean Gibbs	....	camera intern
Christopher Heikel	....	generator operator
Daniel Katz	....	electrician
Charles Libin	....	camera operator
Parris Mayhew	....	Steadicam operator
Keith McNicholas	....	best boy electric
Christopher Moeller	....	second assistant camera (as Chris Moeller)
Robert Ragozzine	....	first assistant camera (as Bob Ragozzine)
Nicole Rivelli	....	still photographer
Daniel Salk	....	video assist operator: 1861 scenes (as Daniel R. Salk)
Randy M. Salo	....	best boy grip (as Randy Salo)
Johnny Santiago	....	key rigging grip
Jeremy Schroeder	....	key grip (as Jeremy W. Schroeder)
Mike Sime	....	24-frame playback operator (as Michael Sime)
Paul Swan	....	best boy grip
Vance Tucker	....	grip
Kevin Walter	....	camera loader
Reuben Wilder	....	grip (as Rueben Wilder)
Rob Woolsey	....	grip
Michael Burke	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Marcel Ciurea	....	grip (uncredited)
Lara Sfire	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Tiffany Little Canfield	....	casting associate
Will Cantler	....	additional casting
Sophia M. Costas	....	extras casting associate (as Sophia Costas)
David Vaccari	....	additional casting (as Dave Vaccari)
Stephanie Yankwitt	....	casting associate
Chrissy Fiorilli	....	casting intern (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sheila Gentile	....	wardrobe supervisor
Christy Levi	....	costume intern
Lindsay McCarty	....	costume intern
Carol McClennan	....	set costumer
Nicholas McManus	....	costume production assistant (as Nick McManus)
Katherine Hampton Noland	....	assistant costume designer (as Katherine Noland)

Editorial Department
Roger Cooper	....	assistant editor
Mara Farrington	....	assistant editor (as Mara Safransky)
Peter G. Gagnon	....	additional editor (segment "The Bernice Graves Show")
Mike Mertens	....	color timer
Benjamin Wiser	....	post-production assistant
Robert Leaton	....	colorist: dailies (uncredited)

Music Department
Mary Ramos	....	music consultant
Allan K. Rosen	....	music editor
Tony Volante	....	music mixer
Tucker Williamson	....	music coordinator
John Finklea	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bill Booth	....	driver
Jason Grey	....	driver
Jimmy Mahr	....	driver
Stephen Obohoski	....	driver
Joseph Paprota	....	driver (as Joey Paproda)
Mickey Pastoriza	....	driver (as Michael Pastoriza)
William Speranza	....	driver (as William Speranza Jr.)
Paul Thompson	....	driver
Ryan Walsh	....	driver
Tommy Walsh	....	driver
Kevin R. Wood	....	transportation captain (as Kevin Wood)
Dana Zolli	....	driver
Matthew Pratt-Hewitt	....	driver: cast (uncredited)

Other crew
Tara Andrus	....	production accountant: JFA Inc.
Andrew Appell	....	stand-in: Mr. Firth
Howard Behar	....	legal services: production financing (as Howard D. Behar)
Deborah Blake	....	set medic
Benedetta Brentan	....	production intern
Anton Capone	....	stand-in: Mr. Broderick
Emmet Carnahan	....	artwork: Jimmy Ray
Yee Yeo Chang	....	assistant: Ms. Koffler
Alvin Charles	....	assistant craft service
Beth Charlesworth	....	set intern
Ana Cuadra	....	location scout
Jacqueline Eckhouse	....	legal services: production financing
Glenn Ferrara	....	set production assistant
Jason Fesel	....	key set production assistant
John B. Finn	....	post-production accountant: JFA Inc. (as John Finn)
John B. Finn	....	production accountant: JFA Inc. (as John Finn)
Rebecca Garland	....	production accountant: JFA Inc.
Melissa Gelernter	....	production coordinator
Javier Gonzalez	....	production secretary
Elliott Green	....	paintings: Frank's Wife
Evan Gregg	....	assistant location manager (as Evan H. Gregg)
Jill Hattersley	....	assistant: Ms. Midler
Jocelyn Hayes	....	executive: Killer Films (as Jocelyn Hayes Simpson)
Takina Holloman	....	production secretary
Alison Hunter	....	legal services: production financing
Ryan David Kohler	....	office production assistant (as Ryan Kohler)
David Laurentin	....	assistant parking coordinator
Joshua Liebling	....	set intern (as Josh Liebling)
Anna Lo Westlin	....	office production associate
Elizabeth MacSwan	....	set production assistant
Angela Mak	....	legal associate: Beigelman & Associates
George Nannas	....	chef
Lydia O'Neill	....	production assistant
Munmun O'Neill	....	production intern
Carles Plans	....	set intern
Charles Pugliese	....	executive: Killer Films
Cesar Quinones	....	location scout (as César Quiñones)
Laurie Robyn	....	stand-in: Ms. Midler
Dawn Rosado	....	location assistant
Adrian F. Roscher	....	legal services: production financing
Jonathan Roumie	....	location scout
Adrianne Sandoval	....	assistant: Ms. Tavel (as Adrienne Sandoval)
Alexa Scott-Flaherty	....	stand-in: Ms. Hunt
Eddie Serrano	....	set staff assistant
Aidan Shah	....	post-production accountant: JFA Inc.
Yorgo Stathopoulos	....	location manager
Rabbi Kenneth Stern	....	technical consultant
Sasha Stoecklein	....	set staff assistant
José Tejada	....	parking coordinator (as Jose Tejada)
Rob van de Laar	....	craft service
Taryn Waldman	....	set staff assistant
Sharon Watt	....	script supervisor
Lisa Wellington	....	studio teacher
T. Michael Wickersham	....	legal services: Beigelman & Associates
Chad Williams	....	location assistant
Tania Yuki	....	office production assistant
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services (uncredited)
Jeffrey Cobelli	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Dan Cooley	....	location manager: reshoots (uncredited)
Christopher Corona	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Warren Beatty	....	thanks
James L. Brooks	....	thanks
Matthew Carnahan	....	special thanks
Daniel Casey	....	thanks (as Dan Casey)
Robert Easton	....	thanks
Edie Falco	....	thanks
John Finklea	....	thanks
Janeane Garofalo	....	thanks
Gordon Hunt	....	thanks
James Leavey	....	thanks
Larry Moss	....	thanks
Jay Roach	....	thanks
Tim Robbins	....	thanks
Brad Silberling	....	thanks
Scott Silver	....	thanks
Helen Slater	....	thanks
B.J. Ward	....	thanks
Robert Watzke	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Black Watch Productions (segment "The Bernice Graves Show")
• Blue Rider Pictures (in association with)
• John Wells Productions
• Killer Films
• Less Is More Pictures

Distributors

• Albatros Film (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Entertainment (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2009) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Monolith Films (2008) (Poland) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• THINKFilm (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• TVA Films (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Chelsea Films (2008) (UK) (all media)
• Lifetime Television (2009) (USA) (TV)
• Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• THINKFilm (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• THINKFilm (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• TVA International (2007) (Canada) (all media)

Special Effects

• Engine Room (digital effects)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Beigelman & Associates  legal services
• Blue Rider Finance  bridge funding
• Blue Rider Finance  production financing
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Creative Artists Agency (CAA)  filmmakers representation
• D.R. Reiff & Associates  insurance services
• Dragon Digital Intermediate  on-line conform and film-out (trailer)
• ICB Entertainment Finance  production financing
• Imperial Capital Bank  production financing
• Indiepay  payroll services
• JFA  post-production accounting
• JFA  production accounting services (as JFA Inc.)
• Mega Playground  telecine and dailies
• On Location Education  on-set teacher
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  titles
• Premiere Caterers  catering
• Sloss Law Office  legal services: production financing
• Soundelux  post-production facilities
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting
• Todd-AO Studios  post-production facilities (as Todd-AO)
• Viv Kim Negative Cutting Service  negative cutting (as Viv Kim Negative Cutting)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | UK:15 | Finland:K-7 | Netherlands:AL | Ireland:15A | Singapore:PG (cut) | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Mexico:B

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Black Watch Productions

Trivia:

When Tim Robbins directed his first feature film, Bob Roberts (1992), Helen Hunt appeared in a brief cameo as a television news reporter. When Hunt made her feature directorial debut with this film, Robbins returned the favor and appears briefly as one of the interviewees on the Bette Midler character's talk show.

Goofs:

Continuity: The passenger side shoulder belt in April's car is present for Bernice's scene and missing for Frank's.

Quotes:

April Epner: I know what I did to you, to you in particular. Kinda worst nightmare kind of thing, right? I knew that. Even at the time I knew that.
Frank: What else?
April Epner: I'll do it again, I will, I'll hurt you again and again. Not like that, you'd have to leave me if I hurt you like that. If we were together you would leave me if I hurt you like that again, wouldn't you?
Frank: Yes. Yes, I would.
April Epner: Good. But I'll hurt you in other ways, little ways, I won't mean to but I will. And sometimes I will mean to.
Frank: This is quite an offer you've worked out.
April Epner: You'll hurt me too, you know. You'll hurt me and change on me, you might even leave me after you promise you won't, how about that?
Frank: I wouldn't.
April Epner: But you might.
Frank: But I wouldn't.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Bullitt (1968)

Soundtrack:

Naked As We Came

Another Biological Clock Ticks…But Hunt Provides Heart and Conviction to Her Directorial Debut

Having just seen "Baby Mama", which covers the same emotional territory but in much broader slapstick terms, this 2008 serio-comedy is driven far more by character than situation. In this case, the protagonist is 39-year-old April Epner, a New York schoolteacher who was raised in a close-knit Jewish family and desperately wants the biological connection of a birth child before her alarm clock goes off. She marries fellow teacher Ben, an inarticulate schlub with a terminal case of the Peter Pan Syndrome. After a brief time, he wants out of the marriage, and at almost the same time, April's adoptive mother Trudy dies. Not even a month goes by before April's biological mother suddenly shows up in the form of the brazenly overbearing but genuinely likable Bernice Graves, a cable talk-show hostess who is something of a local media celebrity. If life was not complicated enough, April also finds herself drawn to Frank, the single father of one of her pupils. Unlike Ben, he feels the same about April but is fighting his own bitterness about his own recent divorce.

Not only does Helen Hunt star as April, but she also co-wrote the screenplay with Alice Arlen and Victor Levin and makes her big-screen directorial debut. Granted she's more impressive as an actress than a filmmaker, but as a director and writer, she makes the most of a storyline that stacks the deck a bit like a Lifetime TV-movie. There are enough realistic surprises that take the plot off the rails in a good way. Looking gaunt and avoiding much make-up, Hunt is really playing a variation of the beaten-down waitress she played in "As Good As It Gets", as she carries that same constantly pained expression of disappointment and looks about to explode during moments of emotional duress. However, a decade later, Hunt inhabits the character more naturalistically this time and with a deeper sense of vulnerability and haggard exhaustion. Perhaps to minimize any unnecessary dramatic risk, Hunt cast the other principal roles with actors playing familiar parts. Matthew Broderick effectively portrays Ben as the perpetually dazed man-child he is, while perennial love interest Colin Firth gives texture to the seemingly ideal suitor Frank, especially as he edges toward the breaking point in tolerating the sum of April's foibles.

In one of her increasingly rare screen appearances, Bette Midler gives a scene-stealing performance as Bernice. She lights up the movie with Bernice's unfettered sense of abandonment while gradually exposing the secrets that threaten to undermine her newly found relationship with her daughter. Other parts are played with minimum fuss - Ben Shenkman as April's physician brother Freddy feeling put-upon for having a biological tie to their mother, and Salman Rushdie (author of "The Satanic Verses" which brought him a death sentence from the Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989) as April's doctor. Hunt provides her actors, especially herself, plenty of good, meaty scenes with opportunities for bravura moments. It just doesn't quite come together as a whole by the end, and that may be that Hunt is so used to the sitcom format of the long-running series, "Mad About You". The result is that some laughs feel a bit contrived, some scene transitions seem jarring, and some expected character revelations are given short shrift. Nonetheless, the dramatic developments toward the end carry the emotional impact necessary to make the movie truly affecting, and Hunt should be given credit for a most auspicious debut as a filmmaker.