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Review: The Answer Man

Could have been awful, but Daniels sells it well
By DAVID WILDMAN  |  September 14, 2009
3.0 3.0 Stars

 

Arlen Faber (Jeff Daniels) is an author who claims to have talked to the Big Guy in the Sky, and he's written a bestselling book about the experience. At first, Faber seems a foul-mouthed, reclusive misanthrope; then he's shown to be a decent but flawed dude.

By the third act, of course, he finds redemption. Drawing him out into the real world are his chiropractor and love interest, quirky single mother Elizabeth (Gilmore Girl's Lauren Graham), and Kris (Lou Taylor Pucci), a freshly rehabbed bookstore owner.

The Answer Man could have been a sugary overdose of awful, but the performances are felt, and Daniels does a good job selling the wisecracking and wisdom of his character. First-time director/screenwriter John Hindman seems aware of how predictable his premise could be, and despite a plot hole or two, he's put together a smart script with likable characters and lively dialogue that subverts the obvious clichés.

Related: W. gets a B, Why so serious?, The Secret Life of Bees, More more >
  Topics: Reviews , Jeff Daniels, Jeff Daniels
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ARTICLES BY DAVID WILDMAN
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    If the “actual footage” used in this film is real, then there’s something going on up in Alaska even more frightening than the rise of Sarah Palin.
  •   REVIEW: THE ANSWER MAN  |  September 14, 2009
    Arlen Faber (Jeff Daniels) is an author who claims to have talked to the Big Guy in the Sky, and he's written a bestselling book about the experience.
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    Call this a guide to recognizing your sophomore slump. Dito Montiel won the Directing Award at Sundance with his autobiographical 2006 debut, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints , but that film had Robert Downey Jr. and Chazz Palminteri.

 See all articles by: DAVID WILDMAN

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