Mini's First Time

Mini's First Time is not the first time this film has been made and released with a target audience in mind. Mini's First Time, starring Alec Baldwin, Nikki Reed, Jeff Goldblum and Carrie-Ann Moss rehashes the same old dark humor American Beauty made mainstream. Equipped with almost an identical soundtrack as American Beauty, Mini tries too hard to be cool. Other than the excellent performances by both Baldwin and Moss, the film is bereft of any originality and seems to take itself to seriously for its own good. Nikki Reed, although young and annoying at first becomes more and more bearable as the film progresses, and towards the end is actually acceptable. Playing the young femme fatale, Reed lends her sexuality and small amount of talent to the screen, whilst simultaneously captivating my attention with her eyes. Goldblum plays the same character he's been playing the last few years, straight out of Igby Goes Down, complete with the riches and lust for infidelity. This film does portray the rich of the Hollywood hills very well, so well that after 10 minutes or so you feel like part of the group (morning drinking, promiscuity, and infidelity). These attributes have become so mainstream in todays wealthy, dark humor, family films that it does not seem to affect me anymore like it did the first time I sat down to watch Less Than Zero or American Beauty. The film does have an edgy direction, and sometimes interesting cinematography. Unfortunately the amateur narration, by Reed, takes away from some of the realism and leaves the film feeling dull at times. Of course, not all of the film is backwash, and the director Nick Guthe does show promise in his search for something original. Unfortunately Guthe did take the risk of being cliché, and with all intents and purposes hit the nail right on the target.

Although I liked the movie and it's plot. The relationship between father Martin and stepdaughter Mini, on which a great deal of the movie builds, somewhat reminded me of the tension between Kathryn and Sebastian in Cruel Intentions.

Plot twists like in Mini's First Time, Wild Things, Dead Mans Curve.. need I go on were refreshing a few years back. Nowadays the unpredictable twist are getting rather predictable to the regular movie viewer.

And let's be fair maybe looks like Mini's can get you out of trouble in the movies but the writers should have drawn the line somewhere and instead of looks let the whole plot support on more realistic excuses for her to come up with.

Everyone is saying that this movie is dark...what could be darker than The Quiet!!! This movie is not as dark as some other movies that I have seen. What happens is not exactly right but it is not that DARK! The movie itself is very well done. Again, this is the second movie I have seen where the mother is so out of it that she does not really need a role in the movie. It is ridiculous in the sense that I am sure she just has a few lines. Alec Baldwin acts well as a man being controlled by his sexual appetite. It is a very funny movie. Nikki Reed is a good actress but needs to do something different. She has always done these roles of screwed up teenager. She won't be a teen for long and if she is not careful, her career will be over once she starts looking more mature. The twist in the movie is very interesting. i would say a must see at home with a few friends. Not academy award winning but very entertaining.

I just saw this film's world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The movie starts off with Mini, played by Nikki Reed as a spoiled and manipulating child of a wealthy actress (Carrie Anne Moss). (ala Heathers). Anyway, Mini decides to work as a call girl for the heck of it, and one of her first clients is her step-father (Alec Baldwin). They begin a torrid love affair and devise a plan to drive Moss crazy so that they can be together (ala Gaslight). Predictably, the plan turns to murder. And "then" the movie gets really dark.

The first half of the film was really good as the various scenarios devised to make Moss go crazy are inspired and original. However, in the second half of the movie, the plot begins to fall apart and things just get too creepy. Also, the "twist" at the end is somewhat obvious throughout the film.

Finally, I still cant figure out why Jeff Goldblum is in this movie. He's a really good actor, but his character was superfluous and pointless. It seems the only reason he's even in this movie was to add some improv scenes and have him make strange faces for pointless comedy. Has Jeff Goldblum turned into the comedic version of Christopher Walken?

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.