Great Film: The Perfect Man
Expected Trite, Got Surprised!
THE PERFECT MAN is another one of those fluff romantic comedies that
just keep recycling - single mom and pseudorebellious daughter make
everything work after plotted plans go astray. This is one of those
films that you rent because the video store is closing and you need a
somnolent-inducing DVD. But in the case of THE PERFECT MAN there are
some nice surprises!
Jean Hamilton (Heather Locklear) is a 40ish single mom who bakes
specialty cakes and can't land a man. Whenever she gets close to a
commitment or when she is passed by, she runs, family in tow, to a new
city, new friends, new opportunities to find a man before she is too
old. Her daughters Holly (Hilary Duff) age 16 and little Zoe (Aria
Wallace) go along with the transplanting moves, understanding and
supportive of their mother but yearning for some permanence. The newest
move is to Brooklyn: Jean is welcomed back to a bakery of friends,
Holly finds reasons to like her new school (friends female and male)
and Zoe starts on a run toward a spelling bee. Since Jean is so
desperate for a man, she is swept off her feet by a fellow baker who is
sweet but otherwise fairly low on the food chain. Holly and her new
friend Amber (Michelle Nolden) plan a way to capture Jean's attention
from a created secret lover, their information comes from Amber's
restaurateur Uncle Ben (Chris Noth) who tells them the secrets to
winning a woman's heart.
Let the games begin: first flowers, then gifts, then letters, then
email, then I'm, and Jean feels as though there really is someone
special out there who loves her. But as all games go, this one has its
successes and major failures and as Holly grows to understand her
mother's dilemma, she finds her own in her reluctance to accept the
fact that her friend Adam (Ben Feldman) has fallen for her and wants
her around. From that point it is a comedy of errors until the final
frames where, as expected, all works out for the best for everyone.
Shallow, yes. Been there, done that, yes. But the surprise is the
growth of Heather Locklear as an actress! She has come along ways from
her 'Dynasty'/'Melrose Place' days as basically set decor and has
accepted her age gracefully, coupling that with a nuanced acting
ability that makes her a welcome 'newcomer' to the screen. She is worth
sitting through this little yawner, making it come alive every time she
is on screen. Grady Harp
Cast
- Dolores played by Kym Whitley
- Holly Hamilton played by Hilary Duff
- Ben Cooper played by Chris Noth
- English Teacher played by Philip Akin
- Lenny Horton played by Mike O'malley
- Jean Hamilton played by Heather Locklear
- Adam Forrest played by Ben Feldman
