Funny, fresh and full of surprises, The Perfect Man is a humorous story of love, longing and leaving and what can happen when good intentions go awry. At the story’s heart is the romantic notion of finding the perfect partner…and on the not-so-romantic flipside is a portrait of a family that’s just dealing with the ups and downs life brings while trying to stay together and stay put—at least, that’s what the story’s protagonist, teenager Holly Hamilton, is hoping for.
Producer Marc Platt, no stranger to comedy with his hits Legally Blonde and its sequel among his credits, found the premise of the film “witty and clever. The story had ideas and emotions that I cared about, and ones that I thought the audience would care about,” says Platt. What truly appealed to Platt was the idea that everyone has a destiny and that somewhere, there is someone for everyone.
But almost more than the romance of story, the strong family connection between mother and daughter—and how growing up can affect that dynamic—struck a chord with Platt. “As a father myself,” he continues, “I was also immediately drawn to the family aspect of the film, of a mom trying to raise her two daughters, and of a teenager who comes up with the idea that if she can find the perfect guy for her mom, maybe they’ll stay in one place for a while…and get the chance to become a real family unit.”
Director Mark Rosman says that he “found the concept of the script just wonderful. The fact that a daughter tries to find the perfect man for her mother is completely hilarious but, at the same time, very endearing. But what I found moving on an adult level is the truly universal theme of how mothers and daughters are connected— this is something every mother with a teen can relate to,” observes Rosman.
For the film’s young heroine, the free-spirited teen Holly Hamilton, filmmakers chose the charismatic and multi-talented Hilary Duff—the role and the actress seemed to fit as if tailor-made. “I can’t think of anyone besides Hilary to play this role,” says Platt. “She brings her own likeability to the role. Hilary is the kind of actress that is accessible to everyone, whatever age. She makes you root for her and root for the character she’s portraying. I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many young actors and performers throughout my career, and none has impressed me more than Hilary in terms of the kind of person she is, her generosity, her charm and her heart.”
Rosman, whose ongoing directorial history with Duff includes 11 episodes of the hit series Lizzie McGuire and, more recently, the feature film A Cinderella Story, agrees. “I thought this was a great vehicle for Hilary, and a great opportunity for her to do something that wasn’t just another high school story but, rather, a mother/daughter story.”
At the beginning of the film, Holly and her family embark upon yet another journey, relocating to a new town (this time around, Brooklyn) that will hopefully offer Holly’s mother, Jean, her longed for fresh start. In addition to the physical journey, however, are the personal ones, undertaken by mother and daughter—both of whom have lessons to learn about what it takes to make relationships (both familial and romantic) work. At times, the roles in the film seem reversed as Holly finds herself cast as the nurturing mother, while her mother acts like, well, a typical teenager who quickly moves away from past mistakes without trying to locate the lessons they contain—theirs is indeed a complicated relationship, one that appealed to Hilary in her latest film vehicle.
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