Blu-Ray Review: Annoying ‘The Answer Man’ Full of Hot Air

CHICAGO – “Hell is other people!” declares reclusive author Arlen Faber. That’s nothing compared to the hell of fake people, who permeate so many subpar pictures marketed as “indie” entertainment. There’s not a single character in “The Answer Man” that feels the least bit realistic. There’s not a single line of dialogue that sounds as if it was spontaneously spoken, instead of typed by a screenwriter with a slick Thesaurus. But most importantly, the film doesn’t work because its characters are simply undeserving of the required audience empathy. It’s impossible to care about anyone on the screen, or anything that happens to them.

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.0/5.0

So why is this film a mediocre dud rather than a catastrophic failure? Because it is populated by gifted actors who try to inject the contrived material with vibrant life. Jeff Daniels is one of the most appealing actors in modern cinema, particularly when he plays characters who are less than appealing. He gave one of the best performances of his career in Noah Baumbach’s “The Squid and the Whale,” where he played a decadent, self-absorbed writer who has no patience for “philistines.”

Daniels’s “Answer Man” Arlen is basically the same guy, minus the Jim Henson beard and scalding wit. He spends his life hiding from the spiritual philistines who believe his book, which details his conversations with God, to be the real deal. Regardless of its authenticity, it’s impossible to believe that a bitter sad sack like Arlen could be capable of writing a book with the power to inspire millions.

The Answer Man was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Magnolia Home Video

It’s equally impossible to accept the film’s jarring shifts in tone between broad comedy and awkward melodrama. You know a film’s in trouble when it relies on intrusive music to tell the audience how to feel. Teddy Castellucci’s score thumps along with Scrooge-like energy when Arlen has one of his “funny” tirades, and slows to a thoughtful cadence when Arlen has one of his “serious” revelations.

The Answer Man was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 3rd, 2009. Photo credit: Magnolia Home Video

Meanwhile, the audience has no chance to react because the music is doing all the work. Too bad the funny music doesn’t kick in when Arlen whines, “I showed you my monsters!” You see, Arlen is putting the moves on the lovely Elizabeth (Lauren Graham) by showing her his collection of monster models. When she moves in for a kiss, Arlen is distracted by his prized plastic possessions. Unfortunately, it takes Elizabeth several more scenes to finally walk away from the schmuck, inspiring him to utter the aforemetioned line. She should’ve kept walking.

As much as first-time writer/director John Hindman would like you to believe otherwise, Arlen is an irredeemable S.O.B. He’s vile to everyone except the woman that he hopes to seduce. The tender moments he has with Elizabeth’s son clash entirely with his sadistic treatment of adoring fans (like a mailman played by Tony Hale).

Since the plot and characters are blatantly manipulated in order to ensure that Arlen becomes a better person, the film could be seen as an inferior retread of “Groundhog Day” (with Daniels, Graham and Hale standing in for Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell and Stephen Tobolowsky). One of the most irritating subplots involves a troubled kid (Lou Taylor Pucci), who barges in to Arlen’s apartment and immediately wins the maternal warmth of Elizabeth. This is one of the only moments where I sided with Arlen. I found myself resisting the eye-rolling plot mechanics every bit as much as he was.

One of the biggest laughs on this disc occurs in the extras, when producer Jana Edelbaum prides herself on taking a risk with such “unbankable” material. If this is Edelbaum’s idea of taking a risk, I’d hate to see her play it safe. Let’s face it: “The Answer Man” formula was already tested in last year’s indie dramedy “Smart People,” and it didn’t work any better the first time.

“The Answer Man” is presented in grainy 1080p High Definition (with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio). Special features include a jokey commentary from Hindman, Graham and producer Kevin Missack, along with three repetitive making-of featurettes.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com