A Modern Affair

I just watched "A Modern Affair" on Hulu, where they have the entire film online. I was absolutely blown away by Lisa Eichhorn's performance. She's realistic, relatable, and smart. As a successful career woman, Grace hasn't got time for men, nor does she feel like she can ever connect with one. Her best friend is constantly encouraging her to strike up a relationship, but Grace finds it too difficult. However, lacking any real meaning in her personal life, she does decide that she is determined to start a family. Her journey looking for love and happiness isn't a fairytale like you'd find in some movies, but it's like real life, which is probably why I like this movie so much. It's not an escapist film, it's something real women (and men) can identify with.

The tag line of A Modern Affair, the feature film with Stanley Tucci and Lisa Eichhorn directed by Vern Oakley, teased: "They met, fell in love, and had a baby. (not necessarily in this order)" . It tells the story of a woman who, hearing her biological clock ticking, decides to resort to a sperm bank. Once pregnant, she feels the need to know more about the father of her child. They meet and fall in love.

The Daily Mails reports that Aminah Hart, an Australian woman, got pregnant thanks to IVF. Obsessed about finding out more about the father, she tracks him down on the Internet. They met, fell in love and wed with their daughter as flower girl. There is now a book, and plans for a movie.

Usually, a filmmaker reads a true story in the media and is inspired to make a film. The order here is reversed, just as in A Modern Affair the child came before the couple met. First the film, then the true story. Life imitates art, goes the saying. Couldn't be more true here, as this is not only about life, but about giving life. While medical technology has made huge steps in helping parents conceive, in the end, it's all about love and commitment.

I came across this movie on a small independent vendor website because I am a big fan of Stanley Tucci. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with this little known classic. Here is my synopsis:

Grace Rhodes' biological clock is ticking and time is running out. As a middle aged woman in New York city, finding the perfect man is more of a crap shoot than a dance with cupid. With the prospects running thin and the need for something more fulfilling in her life, she finds the perfect solution, cashing out at the local sperm bank. But finding the right wiggly candidate for the job isn't enough, soon she can't resist the desire to meet her test tube lover in person. Stanley Tucci plays Peter Kessler, donor #247, an artist who just so happens to be on the market for a new lady when Grace Rhodes steps in. What follows is a contemporary love story that could only be told in an age of cryogenics and gene modification. A Modern Affair is a truly unique take on the traditional boy meets girl love story. Heartfelt, witty, and original, it will take all the inhuman discomforts that an age of cold scientific research creates and nestle you warmly back into the purity of love and destiny.

Stanley Tucci and Lisa Eichhorn both deliver top notch performances in this film. However, I must say that my personal favorite was Grace's best friend, Elaine, played by Caroline Aaron. She is just the kind of spunky risk taking friend that everyone wants to have and makes stories like these possible. The dialogue is also not to be missed, like when Grace contemptuously envisions a young temp as "engaging in the most photogenic sex that God or Calvin Klein ever devised."

If your looking for a quiet night kind of movie that'll make you chuckle and just feel good, then A Modern Affair is a perfect match.

I came across this film earlier in the year. I was looking to see what Ms. Eichhorn had acted in that I had not seen and there it was. She always appears to have a way to connect with her audience. He approach always appears realistic and on target, for me, anyway. I would suggest this film for anyone who enjoys a quality performance from a truly talented artist.

I have always admired Ms. Eichhorn since the first time I viewed YANKS. I could never understand what it was about that film that never "took off." Modern Affair is an equally, genuine performance. It captures humor, realism, and thought so often missing in todays fims.

This film came recommended to me by one of my co-workers and I decided, why not, let's check it out. I didn't really know anything about it, except for the synopsis given on Netflix. Anyway, I rented it and forced my husband to watch it with me a weeks ago. About ten minutes in, I thought "oh god, my husband is going to kill me for making him watch a chick flick." Surprisingly enough, this film turned out to be the exact opposite of that. This isn't a chick flick at all. It's insightful, thoughtful, and appeals to both women AND men. As it turns out, my husband absolutely loved this movie. While this movie is primarily about relationships, it provides both the viewpoints of the man and the woman in the relationship. I really appreciate that sort of thing.