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Helen Hunt, Bette Midler, Colin Firth, Matthew Broderick, Ben Shenkman ... see more see more... , Lynn Cohen , John Benjamin Hickey , Salman Rushdie , Daisy Tahan , Tommy Nelson , Stephanie Yankwitt , Maggie Siff , Lillias White , Davide Callegati , Robert LuPone

Academy Award-winning actress Helen Hunt makes her feature directorial debut with this adaptation of Elinor Lipman's best-selling novel about a Philadelphia schoolteacher (Hunt) whose long-lost birth ... read more read more...mother (Bette Midler) reappears at the very moment her daughter is careening into a midlife crisis. Abandoned by her husband (Matthew Broderick) and still grieving the death of her adoptive mother, the emotionally fragile teacher enters into a relationship with the father of one of her students just as her biological mother, an eccentric talk-show host, appears on her doorstep attempting a reconciliation. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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50% liked it

116 critics

R, 1 hr. 40 min.

Directed by: Helen Hunt

Release Date: September 7, 2007

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DVD Release Date: September 2, 2008

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Flixster Reviews (1,413)

  • Redlats
    January 22, 2012
    Redlats
    If you are a romantic, you will like this movie. The main characters are all going through major changes in their lives - April's marriage is falling apart and the is 39 with no kids; Bernice is feeling left out of the daughter she gave up as an infant; Frank is having difficult... read morey raising his kids. The movie takes all these issues and more and ties them up in a neat bow.
  • rezpatriot
    December 25, 2009
    rezpatriot
    The movie has a good cast, a ton of perspectives about love, life, relationships and the seeds parents sow. If your looking for a film with acoustic guitars, family matters, and good tempo without being unrealistic then watch "Then She Found Me".
  • dreamfaeries
    October 27, 2009
    dreamfaeries
    Interesting movie. I didn't know if I was liking it much until I got towards the end. The film grows slowly on you. By the end credits I was totally digging the film and was elated with the ending...
  • mrbungle7821
    December 2, 2008
    mrbungle7821
    [font=Arial][color=DarkRed]Speed Racer - I was wary of this film from the first frame. I think the original [i]Speed Racer[/i] cartoon is dopey and insipid. I didn't really want to pay to have my retinas destroyed by the candy-coated color scheme of the big-budget movie. But I mu... read morest say, I didn't hate this movie and that's a major accomplishment. That's not to say Speed Racer is a good movie; its script is cheesy, the dialogue is silly, the comedy is dead on arrival, and many of the races end up becoming incoherent flashes of color and noise. But God help me, the Wachowski brothers have produced a unique movie experience that will likely induce epileptic seizures. [i]Speed Racer[/i] has way too much plot going on for a cartoon about a kid who races a fast car. The movie reminds me in a lot of ways of the [i]Wacky Races[/i] cartoon where the various teams have theme-driven cars. This provides for plenty of outlandish action sequences that manage to tickle the senses, that is, when the images are somewhat stable. The movie aspires to be a "family film" and with that comes the half-hearted moral message (corporations are evil) and a reminder that family is important. Did I mention there's also a monkey that gets treated like a member of the family? The movie sometimes feels like the cinematic equivalent of an ice cream headache, but you're unlikely to see anything like it again in the near future. That may be both a good and a bad thing.

    Nate's Grade: C+


    Then She Found Me - Actress Helen Hunt's directorial debut is an altogether pleasant film experience without achieving anything memorable or truly accomplished. It's a simple story of a 40-something grade school teacher (Hunt) torn between her man-boy husband (Matthew Broderick) and a student's hot father (Colin Firth, who seems to be a middle-aged woman's dream come true). The extra plotline where Hunt discovers the identity of her biological mother (Bette Midler) never truly seems to coalesce with the romantic foibles. [i]Then She Found Me[/i] has a noticeably wry tone, like that of a world-weary adult that's been-there-done-that. That specific and welcomed tone helps keep the viewer alert and mostly satisfied from beginning to end. It isn't a warm or sappy movie despite some sitcom-level plot complications. The acting is fairly amusing, though somewhat one-note (the foursome of actors rarely break from the one-sentence descriptions of their characters). The most shocking aspect of the flick is how weathered and gaunt Hunt looks, which is a refreshing and realistic turn for the actress. Hunt is competent behind the camera but doesn't prove much else when it comes to directorial skills. [i]Then She Found Me[/i] is a mildly affecting movie that passes the time well. Stick around to catch acclaimed author Salman Rushdie as Hunt's OB-GYN.

    Nate's Grade: B


    The Spiderwick Chronicles - This imaginative fantasy family film is adapted from five books from the [i]Spiderwick[/i] series, so you'll be forgiven for thinking that it packs a lot of storylines at a brisk pace. This 97-minute film should appeal to all members of the family because, while derivative, it has plenty of action, interesting fantasy characters, and even some palpable thrills. The movie has a better handle over interspersing psychological real-world drama with the monsters. Freddie Highmore is the best special effect in the film as he plays two twins who are vastly different in personality and temperament. Director Mark Waters ([i]Mean Girls[/i]) deals with the fantastic but also makes the film feel grounded, never letting the otherworldly elements to take over. The movie is a modestly entertaining escapade.

    Nate's Grade: B


    Drillbit Taylor - This is a case where a movie feels stuck between two different aims. The premise of a group of geeks hiring a bodyguard to protect them from high school bullies feels dramatically dated, like an idea that John Hughes could have cranked out over a weekend in the 1980s. Owen Wilson stars as a homeless Army vet that agrees to be the bodyguard but he intends to fleece the kids of their money. Eventually the film culminates in the geek trio violently fighting the bully, which is kind of a weird climax to a mainstream teen-centered film. The main bully is actually psychotically dangerous and the movie exists in a realm where every adult character is a cretin or a moron. Don't even think about security in the school. The jokes aren't as lively or clever as the movie would like to think, but special credit must be awarded for collecting a group of teen actors that look authentically geeky. [i]Drillbit Taylor[/i] is a safe vehicle for Wilson because he's played a variation of this zen-cool character in many movies. I'm honestly surprised that Seth Rogen is a co-writer and that Judd Apatow produced this flick. This is noticeable below their standards. This movie isn't anything special and it's tonally all over the place, but then it does have some funny situations, some amusing character interplay, and some dependable slapstick. Think of it as a sanitized PG version of [i]Superbad[/i] combined with an 80s movie.

    Nate's Grade: C+


    Deception - Is there a more tired and pathetic genre of filmmaking than that of the erotic thriller? [i]Deception[/i] is just about as lazy and bland as its title. The casting director got every role wrong. Ewan McGregor is an accounting nerd that befriends a swanky playboy (Hugh Jackman) and they accidentally switch phones. Of course this leads to people mistaking an accounting nerd for a swanky playboy, and McGregor is introduced to an underground web of anonymous sex (hasn't anyone heard about craig's list?). I suppose the rich would rather take a chance on a stranger than have their handlers recruit some tail. Michelle Williams is completely wrong as the femme fatale who OF COURSE is in on the scheme. [i]Deception[/i] plays out exactly as you could predict, and it even bears a somewhat strong resemblance to 2005's [i]Derailed[/i], another mediocre thriller of little thrills. The chilly cinematography by Dante Spinotti is way too good for this kind of film. It seems that erotic thrillers have graduated from soft focus close-ups of copulating couples set to saxophone music to … soft focus close-ups of copulating couples set to electronica beats. I suppose that's progress for a genre defined by ridiculous plots, unrealistic characters acting like idiots, and, oh yeah, boobs.

    Nate's Grade: C[/color][/font]
  • jjnxn
    October 16, 2008
    jjnxn
    Bette is a brassy delight, but Helen Hunt just seems so morose its hard to feel empathy for her character. It does have a wonderful ending though.
  • mwilliams078
    September 12, 2008
    mwilliams078
    Let me first start off by saying I love, love, love Helen Hunt and Bette Midler. Now that being said this was a good movie very unglamorous which was nice to see.

    Helen Hunt whom plays a teacher is desperate to give birth to a child but nothing seems to be going her way. She ... read morehas one day that experiences difficulty with her husband (Matthew Broderrick) and shortly thereafter her adoptive mother passes away. Well, enters her biological mother (Midler). A very real view at a woman dealing with human everyday issues that is touching...worth seeing.
  • aliceinpunderland
    July 8, 2008
    aliceinpunderland
    I just love Helen Hunt. I love her voice, I love her hair, I love her upper arms, I even love when she squints. That being said, decent directorial debut - goals seemed accomplished, but nothing extra which could go either way. Moving story with some zany humor and fierce tell... read more-off monologues.
  • dunmyer
    May 7, 2008
    dunmyer
    [font=Garamond][size=3]"Then She Found Me" not only has a flaccid title, but the movie itself is also dull as dishwater, at least most of it. The last 15 minutes are pretty good, but it's tough getting through the first 80. [/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3][img]http://www.... read morenydailynews.com/img/2008/04/25/alg_then-she-found-me.jpg[/img][/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3]First-time director [b]Helen Hunt[/b] (who made herself so thin for the lead role that she is frighteningly skeletal) will surely not get another directing gig. [/size][/font][font=Garamond][size=3]Not even the miraculous [b]Bette Midler[/b] could save this film from itself. [/size][/font][font=Garamond][size=3]There are certain things about the project that I really liked. Many of the actors are famous for being New York-based (especially Midler and [b]Matthew Broderick[/b]), and the film was set in New York. There almost seemed a subtext of resistance to all things Hollywood. [/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3]A cameo from [b]Tim Robbins [/b]puts the cherry on the cake. Robbins is of course legendary for teaming up with girlfriend Susan Sarandon to resist the gravitational pull of Hollywood and build film careers with New York as their base. [/size][/font][font=Garamond][size=3]I don't know if Hunt (who was also a co-producer) intended the film to have this pro-New York subtext, but I suspect she did. It's odd though, because I don't believe Hunt herself lives here. Maybe she wishes she did.[/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3][img]http://www.blueriderpictures.com/news_images/then_she_found_me_5.jpg[/img][/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3]I liked this aspect of the film not just because I am such a partisan of New York. I also believe we need a diverse culture of filmmaking in America. California is fine, but I think American cinema needs more than that. If Hunt pines for the days of Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese's ultra-New York films and wants to join Noah Baumbach in trying to revive that nearly dead tradition, then I say mazel tov. [/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3]Hunt also fills the film with things Jewish, by the way. Her character is Jewish and that is most definitely not hidden. Hebrew prayers even end up playing a pivotal role in the drama. While Hollywood is filled with Jews, they certainly don't fill their films with Judaica. This was another thing about "Then She Found Me" that I found refreshing.[/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3]Finally, [b]Salman Rushdie[/b] (of all people) is given a small role as the OB/GYN. How many movies have you seen where a living literary legend has a bit part? Bizarre. Yet another thing that gave the film a very New York feel. But casting everyone you think is cool doesn't make a film. The story is what really matters, and here Hunt skimped.[/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3]There were some things about it that I liked, but basically it's no more than the typical story you'd see in a film made for a women's cable TV channel. One charming thing is that the story is[/size][/font][font=Garamond][size=3] about real people. None of the actors buffed up for their roles; all the male actors are so plump that they have man-boobs. This was actually pleasurable to see, because this is what middle-aged men really look like. Most of the characters seemed very real. This film resolutely is about ordinary people. The problem is that the vast majority of ordinary people are boring to watch. Hunt couldn't perform that mysterious alchemy where a view of commonplace people is not itself commonplace. [/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3]In the last half hour, the script does improve and we do see glimmers of what the film could have been. There is one scene in particular where Hunt's character and Midler's have a full-on confrontation. This was by far the best scene in the film. Would that there were more such scenes.[/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3]Hunt plays a woman approaching 40, suffering from an intense desire to be a mother. Her husband (played by Broderick) suddenly up and leaves her and she has to figure out how to reproduce without him. This of course gets to the heart of something very common today, particularly in big cities, where well-educated career women are finding themselves approaching the end of their child-bearing years with no Daddy by their side.[/size][/font]

    [font=Garamond][size=3]Complicating matters (wonderfully) is the appearance of Hunt's birth mother. Hunt's character was adopted and never knew anything about her biological background. Midler plays the birth mother and breathes life into the film whenever she's on screen. But the focus of the film is Hunt, her ex-husband and her new boyfriend (played by [b]Colin Firth[/b]). So unfortunatley Midler doesn't get that much screen time. Would that she had more.[/size][/font]
  • fb1144932598
    November 13, 2008
    fb1144932598
    Painful relationships between a woman and her adoptive family, the woman who gave her up for adoption, the husband who walked out on her, and the guy who just might be Mr. Right. Helen Hunt does it all in this romantic dramedy. She wrote, directed, and starred as the 39 year-old ... read morepre-school teacher whose biological clock is ticking louder than the clock in Captain Hook's crocodile. Matthew Broderick as the husband who can't handle his grownup life. Bette Midler as her biological mother who wants back into her life as this late juncture. And Colin Firth as the man whose wife walked out on him and their two children. Each of them has to deal with his or her private demon and it is never clear who will wind up on speaking terms with whom when all is said and done. And a lot of hurtful things were said and some were left unsaid, but communicated loud and clear anyway. Throw in a believable crisis of faith with an unlikely resolution and it sounds like life to this viewer.
  • SC007
    August 8, 2009
    SC007
    I was really surprised by this film. I wasn't sure from the trailer if I was gonna like this film, but I was pleasantly surprised when I watched the film. Helen Hunt does a great job in her directorial debut. She also does a good job actingwise. Colin Firth is also great as her l... read moreove interest. They have great on screen chemistry together. Better Midler steals every scene that she is in. The only weak spot with the film was Matthew Broderick. I thought he was miscast as the ex husband. I think he was much better with Helen Hunt in the film, Project X. I definitely recommend this film.

View All Then She Found Me Reviews

Critic Reviews

Carina Chocano
October 18, 2008
Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times

Unexpectedly sharp, light and appealing; a testament to Hunt's skills behind the camera. Full Review

Christy DeSmith
July 16, 2008
Christy DeSmith, Minneapolis Star Tribune

From the looks of things, the actors were simply let loose as themselves. Full Review

John Anderson
May 16, 2008
John Anderson, Washington Post

Suffers from, if anything, a lack of pure confidence in the story, the actors or the audience. Full Review

Claudia Puig
May 9, 2008
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Hunt draws some good performances from the cast and wisely chose a low-key personal story for her directorial debut. Full Review

Tom Long
May 9, 2008
Tom Long, Detroit News

A few plot turns too many undermine Helen Hunt's Then She Found Me, and that's too bad, because Hunt shows some nice touches here both in front of and behind the camera. Full Review

Richard Roeper
May 5, 2008
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

It's the kind of film that practically invites you to forget about it two days after you've seen it.

Teresa Budasi
May 2, 2008
Teresa Budasi, Chicago Sun-Times

Hunt has what it takes to direct; you can see it here, in small doses. In an arena filled largely with men, it will be interesting to see what she does next. Full Review

Ruthe Stein
May 2, 2008
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

Where it really matters -- working with actors -- veteran filmmakers could learn from Hunt. Full Review

J. R. Jones
May 2, 2008
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

This adaptation of an Elinor Lipman novel is Hunt's feature directing debut, and under the circumstances she might have been wiser to give the lead role to someone else. Full Review

Wesley Morris
May 2, 2008
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

What ought to be a bittersweet movie about a woman's momentary unraveling feels like a workout class: Cardio melodrama. Full Review

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Then She Found Me Trivia

  • Which actress plays the role of Helen Hunt's mother (who gave her baby up for adoption) in "Then She Found Me" (2008)  Answer »
  • Which two actresses starred in "Then She Found Me" (2008), the story of a woman who gives up her child for adoption and then contacts her years later in an attempt to build a relationship?  Answer »
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