Watch Finding Amanda

Finding Amanda is a movie from 2008 directed by Peter Tolan and starring Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, and Maura Tierney. The plot revolves around a man named Taylor Mendon (Broderick), a television writer who is struggling with alcoholism and has just gone through a divorce with his wife Lorraine (Tierney). The movie begins with Taylor losing his job after he drunkenly gropes a young actress on the set of the television show he was working on. In order to get back on his feet, Taylor decides to try and reconnect with his niece Amanda (Snow), who is a drug addict and prostitute living in Las Vegas.

When Taylor arrives in Las Vegas, he quickly realizes that Amanda is in worse shape than he had imagined. She is working as a prostitute at a seedy hotel and is heavily addicted to drugs. Taylor initially tries to get Amanda to come home with him to Los Angeles, but she refuses, saying that she can't leave her current lifestyle behind. Despite Amanda's protests, Taylor decides to stay in Las Vegas and try to help her get clean.

Throughout the movie, we see Taylor struggling with his own alcoholism as he tries to help Amanda overcome her drug addiction. He attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and meets a woman named Denise (played by Steve Carell's wife, Nancy Carell), who becomes a source of support for him. Taylor also befriends a casino worker named Darrell (played by Chris Parnell) who provides him with some much-needed comic relief during the movie's darker moments.

As Taylor tries to help Amanda, he finds himself getting sucked into the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. He visits her at her hotel and witnesses her having sex with a john, and later on, he accompanies her to a drug dealer's house to buy heroin. The movie doesn't shy away from showing the harsh realities of drug addiction, and there are several moments that are difficult to watch.

Despite the heavy subject matter, there are moments of levity throughout the movie. Brittany Snow is excellent in her role as Amanda, and she brings a sense of vulnerability and heart to the character. Broderick is also great as Taylor, and he manages to make the character sympathetic even when he's behaving badly. Tierney is underused in her role as Lorraine, but her scenes with Broderick are some of the movie's strongest.

Overall, Finding Amanda is a well-acted and well-directed movie that tackles some heavy subject matter. It's not always an easy film to watch, but there are moments of hope and redemption that make it worth it in the end. The movie raises important questions about addiction and the importance of family, and it's sure to stay with you long after the credits roll.