getting it right is a far far cry from the teenage sex comedy you might expect from a summer movie about male virginity .
the film was directed by randal kleiser , who brought us such bubble - gum classics as grease and the blue lagoon .
but thanks to kleiser 's surprisingly good direction and an intelligent script , getting it right is a pleasantly quiet , moving , and memorable film -- one geared strictly toward a sophisticated , adult audience .
getting it right
stars jesse birdsall ( emily lloyd 's boyfriend in wish you were here ) as gavin , a painfully shy 31-year - old hairdresser who lives at home with his parents and who -- gasp -- is still a virgin .
gavin has no problem whatsoever making small talk with the elderly women who clamor for his services at the hair salon , but expose him to a single 30-year - old beauty
and he 's a mess .
much to gavin 's surprise , the woman who finally brings him out of his shell and robs him of his virginity is joan ( lynn redgrave ) , a rich , married , and lonely 45-year - old .
getting it right is the simple story of gavin 's awkward and haphazard efforts to get it right ; that is , to find the right woman to fulfill his life .
getting it right is one of those rare movies that devotes itself entirely to in - depth character development .
gavin 's self - conscious voice - over narration of his experiences firmly thrusts us into his psyche .
we observe his fascinating metamorphosis from shy and passive introversion to assertive and self - confident maturity .
birdsall 's superb , understated performance
as gavin is the real backbone of the film ; he seems convincing and authentic throughout .
the charm of getting it right also lies in the wide array of people who inhabit or invade gavin 's life .
despite her limited screen time , redgrave makes quite a splash in the movie as gavin 's middle - aged seducer .
for a supporting character , joan is unusually and impressively complex , thanks in large part to redgrave 's magnificent performance .
gavin is also pursued , or perhaps plagued , by minnie , the totally neurotic daughter of a rich aristocrat .
after minnie and gavin meet at a party , she takes great pleasure in disrupting his safe and simple life .
helena bonham carter is delightfully pathetic and kooky in the role , and sir john gielgud , with his tongue in his cheek , embodies the height of arrogance as her father .
gavin 's eventual love - interest is jenny , the adorable twenty - year - old single mother who assists him at the beauty salon ; london stage actress jane horrocks ' fine performance yields a touchingly sweet character .
peter cook , the great british satirist , appears briefly in the film as gavin 's uptight employer .
the scenes of gavin 's home life with his parents are also a treat .
gavin 's over - protective mother ( pat heywood ) , whom even woody allen would find overbearing ,
almost steals the movie .
her life seems limited to just two activities : treating gavin like a 10-year - old and preparing exotic but inedible meals , such as scalding hot curry and baked chicken with chocolate sauce .
gavin and his father 's attempts to avoid eating her meals are extremely amusing .
getting it right , for the most part , is very well - crafted , except for two minor shortcomings .
first , the movie is about 15 minutes too long , and consequently it loses momentum at times .
second , the film includes an altogether extraneous subplot about the domestic problems between gavin 's best friend , harry , and his unfaithful lover , winthrop .
overall , however , getting it right is quite memorable for its humor , depth , sophistication , and outstanding acting .
director kleiser and screenwriter elizabeth jane howard ( adapting her own highly acclaimed novel ) deserve praise for finding just the right tone for this tale of growth , maturation , and self - discovery .
Output: P