Lauren Graham Movie:

		List Price: $34.98		Label: Magnolia Home Entertainment Salesrank: 48084 Released: November 3, 2009
		Our Price: $18.95
		Used Price: $17.59
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: Blu-ray

Editorial Review:
Arlen Faber (Jeff Daniels) is the
reclusive author of Me and God, a
book that has redefined spirituality for an entire generation and has been translated into over 100 languages. On the eve of the 20th anniversary of his still wildly popular book, Arlen is still sought after as the man who has all the answers. Arlen's life collides with Elizabeth (Lauren Graham), a single mom raising her seven-year-old son, and Kris (Lou Taylor Pucci), a young man fresh out of rehab who is searching for meaning. Both Elizabeth and Kris are hopeful that Arlen has the answers, but the truth is, he hasn't got a clue.

The Answer Man [Blu-ray] Reviews:
Brilliantly written, laughed my head off
2009-12-09 - This is a comedy, not a serious drama, and I, for one, laughed my head off! We rented the movie and watched it last night. I loved the movie, can't wait to see it again and have already recommended it to several friends. Jeff Daniels is hilarious! The script is funny and thought-provoking at the same time. The scene with the elementary school teacher made me laugh so hard I cried. (Of course, if you are too young to have ever been in a parent teacher conference, then your reaction may be different from mine.) And I loved the questions. Yes, the social themes are serious but they are handled in the kind of way that most people live life -- moving forward with some intense moments, occasional pondering, and a sense of humor.

Some people have compared this movie with "As Good As It Gets." Personally, I liked "Answer Man" much better.

3.5* - not quite "As Good As It Gets" but a pleasant diversion
2009-12-01 - The main reason I rented this was because of Lauren Graham. I have been a fan since following her through all the seasons of The Gilmore Girls, a show that is close to my heart, mainly due to Graham's brilliant performance. Sadly, her movie roles thus far have been rather lackluster, partly because of the secondary roles she has been playing, as in "Evan Almighty" and "Flash of Genius". In "Answer Man", Graham gets to shine a bit more, but I still felt her character deserved more exposure.

"Answer Man" reminds me of "As Good As It Gets", only it never quite gets a chance to achieve the brilliance of the latter. Like Jack Nicholson's OCD character, Jeff Daniels plays a quirky and eccentric character. He portrays Arlen Faber, an author whose one book "Me and God" created a sensation and became a bestseller, cornering 10% of the "God" market. Yet 20 years later, Arlen feels he has not really learned anything nor gained any great insights, so he shuts himself away in his Philadelphia house downtown, living a reclusive life, shunning all his fan mail & interviews, much to the chagrin of his literary agent. Feeling frustrated with all the self-help books that fail to lift his spirits nor grant him any useful perspectives on life, Arlen carts the books away to a used bookstore run by a recovering young alcoholic Kris (Lou Taylor Pucci in a wonderfully nuanced performance), only to be refused (as Kris doesn't have any money to buy Arlen's books). To cut a long story short - Arlen hurts his back and seeks help at a chiropractor's which is owned and operated by single mom Elizabeth (Lauren Graham). The pair start to bond but the relationship is complicated by Arlen's eccentricities and inability to reach out to people who need him and Liz's own personal problems.Meanwhile Kris the recovering alcoholic begins to show up at Arlen's home seeking advice in return for taking some of Arlen's books off his hands.

The various story arcs do intersect quite well, but the characters lack sufficient development - so Arlen is seeking answers...but why exactly has he allowed 20 years to pass by, and his whole romance with Graham almost seems contrived at times. Graham's personal problems are alluded to but never fully explored, and her interactions with her seven-year-old son seem unbearably awkward and even a tad fake at times. Pucci's character was the most likable in this movie, in that he elicits the viewer's sympathy and makes one want to root for him in his battle against the bottle, yet even his role seems to lack true depth.

"Answer Man" is interesting and engaged my attention, but it is also quite forgettable. I would certainly recommend it as a rental especially for those who like Lauren Graham, Jeff Daniels, and Lou Taylor Pucci, but it doesn't compare to some real gems like "As Good As It Gets".

Delicate Sweet Film
2009-11-30 - Answer Man is a sweet movie. The opening scene will probably deter a number of potential viewers; otherwise this is a straightforward charming love story.

That opening scene is a bit like George Carlin's 7 words you cannot say on television; Jeff Daniels is upset that his doorbell rang (it interrupted his meditating) and as he walks down the stairs says just about every single foul word ever invented. I mention this not to say that is a bad thing, it is simply a warning that the language is coming. From there the film just gets better. It threads together three stories that seem to be unrelated, a young alcoholic checking out of rehab and trying to make his book store work, an overly protective single mother starting her chiropractor practice, and an incredibly popular author trying to remain anonymous. The film telegraphs very early how all three of these people are related. And yes the ending is a bit predictable.

On the surface, this is just another pot boiler standard love affair film. It reminded me very much of Ghost Town, but not as funny. And as such would just be a middle of the road OK film. In the bonus features, I discovered that this is the first film for screenwriter / director John Hindman. This is truly remarkable, an unknown to Hollywood person, writes a screen play, shops around to get the film made, has never directed a movie in his life, and convinces somebody to back his film. Technically, there are seasoned directors that have done a much worse job with a film like this. Bravo Mr. Hindman, you do have talent.

The film appears to be shot almost entirely in Philadelphia. The setting is beautiful, and not a bad view of the city. I think Philadelphians will recognize the locations, 2nd street and Market in particular. Every shot is in focus, exposure is across the board spot on, and random annoying handheld camera movement is minimized. The film has a fairly standard pacing, nothing remarkable, just done right. Sound is well recorded, dialog is very clear.

Jeff Daniels is outstanding in this role. He is the central character and carries the film well. Lauren Graham is radiant as a quirky, troubled, happy woman trying to make her way in the world. In real life Lauren Graham is only 11 years younger than Jeff Daniels - the age difference in this film appears a bit more, although not creepy. The real surprise is Lou Taylor Pucci, who plays the recovering alcoholic. I really liked his role a lot. He played an addict that sees the good that will happen in his life, as opposed to the sad drunk that sees nothing but bad in his life. Kat Dennings (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist) is wonderful as the hippie assistant in the book store. And Norah Dunn (Saturday Night Live, 1985-1990), played the snotty driven agent in a solid manner. The cast is nicely chosen for this film.

The film is rated R, due to strong language. It's hard to imagine this film working very well crippling Arlen by not allowing the strong language. That is the only reason for the rating, there is absolutely no nudity, no suggestive scenes, no implied sex, no violence, and a brief moment of showing a few people drinking alcohol. At an hour and 35 minutes, the film is the right length.

The DVD includes three bonus features. The only one worth watching is about how this film was made. That 9 minute piece is excellent and very revealing. There is a super lame HDNet featurette where the story is more or less retold (I wish they would stop including these horrible featurettes on DVD's, they add nothing to the film). Finally, three is a 10 minute discussion with each actor about their character (another pointless piece - view before the film and it will ruin the film, view after the film and it is simply redundant).

I liked this film. It is heartwarming. It is sappy, but sometimes that is just a pleasant thing for a film. This isn't a film worth watching many times; it's simply a wonderful piece of candy to enjoy.


Lightly entertained, BD was adequate
2009-11-02 - Overall this was a decent little flick for a first time writer/director, and Jeff Daniels proved again his skill level in showing multiple personalities in the same film.

The story follows a world famous reclusive (single) author that no one can recognize, as he strives to get rid of his book collection and fix his ailing back while living in Philly. Coincidentally (this film has just a few too many of those) a single chiropractor and a broke book store owner happen to cross his path, both in turn looking to fill their respective voids. Romance, dysfunction and life learning happens in a bout of small doses.

The Blu clarity shines through for Philly in a variety of locations, but there was an incessant artifact throughout that catches the eye repeatedly. The DTS gets used maybe twice (the kitchen scene where the B&W movie he is not watching filters through the left channels and one other scene) but sounds clear otherwise. The supplements are standard and include:

* 10:14 minute Characters of Answer Man. A plug piece that is film clip heavy.
* 9:57 Concept to Creation. More talking heads that cover some minimal background.
* 4:33 HDNet clip. The standard ad promo as shown on the network.
* BD Live. Stated "check later for updates".
* Bookmarks option.
* Cast/Crew commentary. More of a conversation piece, best plug I got out of it was hearing the director stating this first film was like a "learning cliff".

Was not exactly pleased with the type of closure they give, but it is a light film that will keep the fans of any of the five leads a decent showing. 3.5 for the movie and Blu, .5 for the supplements.

Low-key, probing, phenomenal, a definite must see
2009-10-31 - This is one of four films I caught on this last trip to Europe, so I am surprised it is listed as "pre-release" but glad that Amazon allows reviews.

This is a mix of low-key romance and deeper torment played without pathos.

Jeff Daniels is an author whose book about conversations with God is a national best seller to the point that he is tired of being mobbed and has become a recluse with severe back pain.

Lauren Graham is an abandoned single mom chyropractor, with one other actor completing the trio and playing an alcoholic bookstore manager with a lot of issues from a broken family in the past.

Depending on your mood, this movie can be entertaining, absorbing, or both. I loved it and would gladly choose to watch it again over the normal trash that one finds on airline movie line-ups.

In related books, consider:
Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue: Book 1
Conversations with God, An Uncommon Dialogue: Living in the World with Honesty, Courage, and Love
Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 3)
I do not recommend The Complete Conversations with God because it is bulky, you lose the inspirational covers, and after reading the latter, I regretted not listening to others who said the same thing: buy the set.