Mini's First Time (2006) Reviews

• Great dark comedy

  lafs12006-06-04

  If you're a fan of this genre, you'll love this film. If not probably not for you, but one of the funniest films I've seen in a long time. Depraved, unrelenting, will probably scare the hell out of some parents or Christian fundamentalists who think Hollywood is glorifying deviant behavior in our teens. The conceit of the film, a girl who will try anything once is very effective because you're always wondering where this philosophy will take us next. Without giving anything away, this idea mixed with an ethereal, driving score pulls you into Mini's world and you'll follow her anywhere. The performances by all 5 leads are incredible. Baldwin gives his best performance in years and that's saying a lot because he's been doing great work. It's easily the best I've seen this year so far in any film by a male lead. He renders this macho, yet beaten down PR exec in a way where although he doesn't deserve our sympathy, he gets it. Reed is astonishing. Part vixen, part little girl lost, the glee with which she sets about her goals, takes a character who is, in fact a sociopath and makes you respect and like her. Although what she does is without a doubt destructive there is an implicit understanding that she is surrounded by adults who only pretend to be moral. Her intellectual honesty is actually refreshing. Her performance works in part because of Carrie Anne Moss' willingness to deliver one of the most chilling and hilarious performances in years as Mini's mother. The incarnation of Hollywood self absorption. It's clear that Mini wasn't born this way, she is a product of Diane's utter lack of mothering. Mini is an inconvenient appendage in Diane's life and Diane lets her know it whenever she can. Jeff Goldblum is spot on perfect as their TV producer neighbor, whose lighthearted, Dionysian life is a constant thorn in Baldwin's side. Luke Wilson also gives as subtle a performance as he has in years. At first playing an incarnation of his sad sack Mitch from "Old School" and then switching on a dime to show us just how smart this detective has been all along. The look of muted terror on Baldwin's face when he realizes how he's been the recipient of Wilson's own PR play is priceless. I'm sure some parents groups will attack it as encouraging teenagers to turn on their parents and to indulge in the darkest parts of society, but it really felt like a cautionary tale about what happens when kids know in their bones that they aren't loved.

• Wickedly Funny Dark Comedy with great performances

  BrianTS2006-05-06

  Saw this at Tribeca Film Festival and was laughing the whole way through. This is a very unique film in that it dares to blend genres. Part pitch black comedy, part noir, it sucks you into the story and takes you along for the ride. Nikki Reed's great in a role that could have been obvious. Alec Baldwin (always good) gives one of the best performance he has in years and Carrie Anne Moss is hilarious as the mom. Goldblum's role as the TV Producer neighbor is so damn funny and Luke Wilson gives a really subtle performance as the detective. The twists and turns are a a blast. Definitely not a film for those who don't like black comedy, but those with more sick, twisted senses of humor should love it.

• What an amazing ordeal...

  Bosco-HK2006-12-10

  I enjoyed this movie, and actually watched the Commentary version too. Martin (Alec Baldwin) played such amazing roles, wealthy man, a stepfather, a 'fallen-for' and Mini's 'actual father'. And I was really amazed at Mini's character (Nikki Reed), I really felt that I was watching her previous movie, Thirteen. She takes the commanding role without anyone else noticing her underlying plans. She also has one of the comedic horror roles like some killer in "I Know What You Did Last Summer" or "Scary Movie". I was also amazed at her performance at grieving for a dead member of the family. I loved it! Mini's mother, Diane (Carrie-Anne Moss), was so entertaining. Though in her lines, there is a lot of foul language for her role as a drunken mother, she was extraordinary intriguing to watch her feelings shift from ultimate command of the family to frustration and jealousy to frightened. All other cast members, especially Mike Rudell (Jeff Goldblum) as the next door neighbor, and of course, Garson (Luke Wilson), who asked terrific questions that sometimes throw off people's planned responses. I enjoyed one of the questions about the car's consumption for an occurrence to happen. The relationship built between the different characters in the movie was fantastic and enjoyable that I felt like I was literally a father if I was to choose a character in the movie. Mini's internal side at one scene was displayed dramatically awesome when her stepfather really got under her denial exterior of the real world. I recommend this movie for teenagers and parents who would like to actually understand more of their daughters and other teenage girls in the real world who really experiences parental, social or life problems. This movie really teaches me how relationships drift and how one can make a wrong step. Also, how hard it is to play a role as a stepfather.

• disturbing, twisted, not one of my favorites but amazing cast.

  triple82006-12-24

  SPOILERS: I thought I was going to love this! I've recently seen the movie "Pretty Persuasion" which is a bit similar to this and liked that a lot. But this movie, while not awful, really bothered me. It was very well acted, actually amazingly so, featuring superb performances from all the cast and wonderful direction but the movie was so incredibly mean that it was very difficult to enjoy it. Since I generally enjoy these type of pictures (I count 'Heathers", "Cruel Intentions", "Wild Things", "Election" and "pretty Persuasion" as good movies) I did ask myself why I had such a hard time with this one. Using comparisons to 'Pretty Persuasion" a movie I just saw recently, I have to say that movie, despite the twisted aspects-(and there were many) was provocative. It was daring but it had something to say. There were a lot of different themes explored and it made one think. But with Minnie's first time, it seems mean without all the Depth and introspective aspects. This is a very hard movie to like. I Will admit I was riveted and had no desire to turn it off. But man did it annoy me at times! It is a disturbing movie I'll give it that. Some of the main characters frustrated the heck out of me. Unlike other movies, we are not provided much detail on Minnie's motivations either. She just seems to hurt people randomly. Alec Baldwin did a great job with his character but this story was just to twisted for me. I mean sometimes there is a line between dark and utterly twisted. Minnie's first time seemed a compilation of many other films but the depth needed to really make a good film didn't seem to be there. This was not awful or dreadful but it just was not my type of movie. I thought it would be. It started promisingly. But This movie just left a bad taste in my mouth in general. I guessed fairly early the pictures were from Minnie not the neighbor. I was also bothered that Minnie got of Scot free. So this isn't my favorite of the genre although I've seen a lot of 1 and 2 votes on here and I could never give it a really really low rating because it's got some positives, mainly the performances. This movie defines "Performance Driven". So in spite of the negatives and Even though I wouldn't strongly recommend this, I'd give it a rating of low 6. It's got some positives, number one as mentioned the performances but also is the way the movie sticks with you-way more then other similar films. This movie is disturbing and one won"t forget it easily. I have noticed many either seem to love this or hate this. There are so many excessively low or high ratings on here. I'm one in between. I don't think this is Oscar material but nor do I think it's awful. I may even watch it again! (It could fall into the "Guilty Pleasure" type of movie but it wasn't that enjoyable to watch so I guess not) If I sound a bit confused about this movie it is because I am. But this is one where even though I was bothered by it, it does have something that grabs the viewer. Alec Baldwin is excellent as is Reed, Glodblum, Moss and Luke Wilson in a small but surprisingly effective role. This movie will never be one of my favorites and I can think of many other directions I'd have preferred it to go but it sure is intense movie watching. My vote's 6.

• Well made under-stated piece of cinema

  InfiniteInertia2006-08-31

  Inevitably each of us audience members will take something different away from watching this film; for me it was just how far some people will go to get what they want in this modern world, with a complete lack of moral obligation! **Minor spoiler on next 3-4 lines; skip if you want** Don't get me wrong, I felt as though it was a little OTT (considering a late teen/early 20-something could team up and commit murder/voluntary manslaughter{not sure what the correct charge would be} with step-dad), but then again I'm sure stranger things have happened in real life! The twist was obvious to me, considering the character in question; but probably not to all, but it did try to tell a moralistic tale without all the heavy lecturing narratives or sudden change of heart. The acting was all first rate, Carrie-Anne-Moss was stunning both to look at and to watch at work as the hopeless self-indulgent mother, Baldwin was brilliant and expertly brought a refreshing duality to the step-father character: seemingly both apprehensive in some scenes & prepared to do what it took in others, which I would imagine is not an easy thing to do when reading the text on a page when getting into character. The young star Nicki Reed was great for a newbie, I have seen "13" in the rental store but I never felt like actually picking it up, but after seeing her performance in this I may decide to check it out; one to watch following in the footsteps of Christina Ricci etc playing the young but totally savvy & remarkably inventive Mini. Goldblum plays himself; almost aping himself at times & Luke Wilson follows with another underrated performance ala Royal Tennenbaums & steals the show as the doggedly determined cop who does a performance in his best "Columbo" mode. As I stated earlier; each will see this from a different perspective, many religious people may see it as glorifying the "get rich quick by doing whatever you have to" mentality of modern people (both young and old), but remember that story is told by a character who had no real father at all (Baldwin only started acting like one during the film by the lead characters own admission 20 minutes or so into it) & a mother who takes every opportunity to dig at her with snide remarks and even use her daughters bed for her own carnal needs, without a second thought. Coming from a similar upbringing myself I can relate to certain parts of the character that mean you have to grow up fast to protect yourself from outside influences & if not kept carefully in check by the personal moral values of the self; it is easy to adopt a "mercenary" attitude, caring about nobody & nothing but your own selfish needs. This is how I would imagine the director meant the work to be seen; a lesson in how ignoring your children's emotional and personal needs as they grow up can create damaged and sociopathic personalities, not straightforward 2-dimensional "Michael Myers" types, but perfectly adapted clever ones who pick up on the pretend niceties and morals of the adults around them & develop the facility to use all means at their disposal to manipulate and prey upon such things...Unique...