2008, USA
Comedy, Drama
So a drunk and hooker meet in Vegas. Wait, that's already been done. Well, let's do it again, but this time rob the story of any sympathy and force a comedy shtick that falls so flat it would be more appropriate in the casino's 24-hour breakfast buffet.
Initially attempting to hit the vein of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" with dry, snappy humor and jazzy bridge music, Finding Amanda instead goes for the jugular without the satisfaction of a quick ending. Director Peter Tolan finds inspiration from his own life as a writer ("Rescue Me," "The Larry Sanders Show") by designating Matthew Broderick as comedy writer Taylor Peters, the indifferent brain behind a notoriously failing Ed Begley Jr. TV show. A bad writer with a bad addiction for anything he can pop, chug or bet. Not exactly the go-to guy to save his niece from a life of hooking in Vegas...or is he?
No, he isn't. In order to prove to his unreasonably patient wife that he really is capable of good things, he heads to his old stomping grounds in Nevada. Respected by his favorite casino for being a fantastic loser, he gladly leaps off the wagon to nobody's surprise or concern. Despite being forbidden to carry a checkbook or credit card, he still eventually finds himself in the hole to a tune of five figures. Oh wait, this story isn't all about him. His niece is still crying in the bathroom because prostitution is not as cheery as she would like to portray. Whoops, spoiler.
A 20-year-old with a nice house, a sweet ride and a rotten boyfriend, the titular Amanda unabashedly chooses a handful of skeezy rendezvous for fast money over a waitressing gig at IHOP. Brittany Snow (Hairspray) is bubbly and mocking of Taylor's attempt at maintaining a respectable level of morals, and though the two seem to have a good time wallowing in their ruined lives, each is quick to point out the other's foibles.
Amanda attempts to separate her occupation from the spoils with which she rewards herself, but she can barely hold together the fragile reality built upon ridiculous rules such as that her boyfriend can sleep around to even out her hooking but not in her Barbie dream home. Taylor tries to convince her that there are better people out there that will put up with her imperfections, such as his wife who is the only good thing in his life despite his flagrant disregard for her happiness and sanity.
In the end, we don't care. As Taylor repeatedly states, you can't help people who don't want to be helped, and you can't care about characters who don't want to be interesting. The film makes the fatal flaw of trying to impart a dramatic message while simultaneously attempting to be comedically flippant. Too bad I didn't flip it off before discovering this disastrous dichotomy.