Review of film: “FINDING AMANDA” -- It’s tough when you DON’T WANT to be found or helped!

Review of film:   “FINDING AMANDA” --   It’s tough when you DON’T WANT to be found or helped!  =   

                       [ RATING:  6 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Jun 24, 2008 | Rel. Date: Jun 27, 2008 =

[From an advance preview:]  This movie is being advertised as a “comedy”-- but it’s really more of a DRAMA with a small number of periodically funny comments by MATTHEW BRODERICK who plays a disillusioned TV comedy writer who keeps trying to hide the fact that he still suffers from a number of recurring addictions (gambling, alcohol, etc.)...


...  Even as he’s deceiving his wife (MAURA TIERNEY) about his problems, he goes to Las Vegas to try to “save” his niece (very well-played by BRITTANY SNOW) from her life as a hooker and from what he perceives to be addictions. This slice-of-life drama is a periodically sort of sad commentary on people deceiving themselves along with others. It’s R-rated due to a number of sexual situations (handled more “matter-of-factly” than exploitatively), and it’s usually more successful in its observations than in its humor. Overall, it’s decent (in its indecency and quasi-hopeful ending), but while OK, it's nothing special in my opinion.