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Another female-fronted film, Helen Hunt’s “Then She Found Me” (based on a novel by Elinor Lipman, which I now would like to check out) was also strong, though more conventionally genre-driven. Once I got over the atrocity that Helen Hunt’s character, April, was supposed to be 39 (not believable for many reasons), I fell into a sympathy for the sadness of her character, as well as an excitement over her character’s strength in the face of the type of tragedies that would cause most Hollywood female protagonists to end up in an institution. My heart raced when April fell in love with Colin Firth’s character, Frank, as it felt real rather than syrupy — with awkwardness, tension, and occasional discomfort when he became overly insecure and clingy.

The characters were good because they didn’t fit the stereotype that usually exists in the genre of the romantic comedy. And though Bette Midler didn’t exactly appear unique in her portrayal, she seemed perfect for the role of the neurotic yet likeable and mysterious wild woman.

Another aspect that sets the movie apart from its adjoining genre is that it contains multiple, interlinked conflicts that are more human than Hollywood. The desire for children isn’t new, and being dumped while also being pursued isn’t new, but April’s reaction to the two conflicts — along with the burden of suddenly being discovered by her birth mother shortly after losing her adoptive mother (all the while maintaining a certain independence throughout) — is. There is also the conflict of faith, but it is merely brushed upon as an aspect of April’s inner turmoil rather than any larger statement. And her sexuality is a conflict in its complexity — rather than in the black-and-white victim or desperate, overly-dramatic Sex-and-the-City way that has become most prevalent in today’s female role.

And April is not the only one with problems. Her husband Ben — Mathew Broderick — clearly has some issues (what they are, we aren’t totally privy to, which leaves the interpretation up to us….wait, that’s another non-Hollywood trait!) with commitment; but not in that dull, simplistic way. Rather, he seems to be part homosexual, part player.

Then there is Frank who is weird, a bit girly in an emotional way (wow, a sexy AND multi-dimensional male love interest), and intense. Frank has recently been hurt, and is a single dad.

And April’s birth mother has her own conflicts, some from the past (when she gave birth to and gave April up for adoption as a baby). And we don’t know for sure if she is a compulsive liar, a brilliant artist, or a wack-o. The not-knowing is real to life, and that sort of ends up being the point of the whole movie.