Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- awkward
- wistful
- reflective evening
- indie movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the performances effective but felt the film becomes contrived and overly sentimental in its latter half.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jennifer uses piercings, tattoos, dyed hair, unusual music, and self-injury to distance herself from others after high school.
Seventeen-year-old Jennifer forms a profound friendship with forty-nine-year-old haberdashery manager Randall.
Jennifer’s goth appearance, piercings, tattoos, dyed hair, and unconventional tastes define her outsider position.
Jennifer’s self-injury and Randall’s guarded middle-aged isolation establish emotional stakes before their friendship becomes intimate.
Films like My First Mister, and why
Lawn Dogs
shared coming-of-age drama, alienated teenage protagonist, and emotionally unconventional relationship
Harold and Maude
shared outsider characters, intergenerational connection, and bittersweet emotional intimacy
Ghost World
shared teen misfit perspective, gothic subculture, and sincere romantic drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Christine Lahti
- Release Date
- 2001-10-12
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (72)
Cast
- Albert Brooks
- Leelee Sobieski
- Desmond Harrington
- Carol Kane
- Mary Kay Place
- Michael McKean
- Rutanya Alda
- Natasha Braisewell
- Henry Brown
- Gary Bullock
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is My First Mister about?
- A goth teenager and a lonely middle-aged haberdashery manager discover unexpected tenderness in an unlikely friendship that resists easy labels.
- What is My First Mister like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of My First Mister as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is My First Mister violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in My First Mister as mild.
- What did critics think of My First Mister?
- Critics broadly found the performances effective but felt the film becomes contrived and overly sentimental in its latter half.
- Which films are like My First Mister?
- Films with a similar feel include Lawn Dogs, Harold and Maude, and Ghost World.
- How long is My First Mister?
- My First Mister runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch My First Mister?
- In United States, My First Mister is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.
