give lessons in mad and crazy to the rest of the US -- and this film proves my point.

`The Young Girl and the Monsoon' brings together a funny and interesting collection of characters -- self-indulgent single father, model girlfriend, spinster boss and moody daughter.

Constance (Ellen Muth) is an angst-ridden 13-year-old forced into spending some quality time with her father, Hank, (Terry Kinney). In this "typical'' US family, her mother has re-married and is away on honeymoon.

Hank, thinking that this is unsettling enough for his daughter, decides to hide his year-long relationship with model Erin (Milly Avital).

A comic scene sees him desperately trying to hide all traces of the relationship -- condoms, tampax -- only for Constance to do what any teenager would do and find them all during her first time alone in the apartment.

A photo-journalist, Hank suddenly finds his world turned upside down by his daughter's extended stay. Constance lives up to her name by constantly whining, be it about designer dresses for the prom or homework assignments of countries she had never heard of.

As time goes by, it is obvious that Hank is as self-obsessed and juvenile as his daughter, and quite often the roles are reversed as she gives him a piece of her mind.

And often you want to shout at both of them "get a grip you loonies''.

Hank's oldest friend/colleague/therapist, Giovianna, provides some light relief -- quite literally -- from his traumas by sharing her relationship disasters with him.

And eventually their relationship takes a predictable turn when the shunned Erin dates a young, upcoming photographer -- probably similar to Hank in his heyday.

For most of the film, you wonder where it is all heading. Listening to Constance battle through her teens is amusing in points and highly irritating in others. It is entertaining enough to hold your attention, though, unless I missed something crucial, it is far too easy to fathom out in that the hidden meanings and irony, well, just aren't that hidden.

For a potentially award winning photographer, Hank does precious little snapping. The glimpses of his work were depressing enough to make you grateful we weren't shown any more.

And the big build-up to his confession to the bureau chief about a story that wasn't all it seemed was such a let down when you heard his tale -- I was expected him to confess to faking the Turin Shroud.

All in all `The Young Girl and the Monsson is pleasant enough but -- like a donor kebab at midnight -- it all seemed a bit pointless.

TIM GREENFIELD MOVIE MPC