Review: The Answer Man (sweet and quirky)

Jeff Daniels is one of those versatile actors who can do any role and do it well. Comedy, drama, musical, quirky, sad, romantic — you name it, he does it. In “The Answer Man,” he gets to do several of those things all in the same movie.

He plays Arlen Faber, a self-help guru who’s written scores of books on the “Me and God” brand during the past 20 years. But Arlen is crotchety and cynical, and basically just wants to be left alone from the millions of fans he has worldwide. That’s why he never does any public readings or reveals his true identity to anyone. Only his agent Terry Fraser (Nora Dunn) knows his true identity. Not even the mailman (Tony Hale) has a clue that the guy he’s delivering mail to all these years is the one and only Arlen Faber.

But things start to change when Arlen has a sudden back spasm that lays him out on the floor. Receiving no help from his disgruntled agent, he finally crawls out the door and down the street to the nearest chiropractic clinic, newly opened by overprotective single mom Elizabeth (Lauren Graham) who straps her young son Alex (Max Antisell) into his car seat like he’s heading for the moon.

This movie has some very funny moments, like Arlen’s record player playing the same tune over and over as he lies paralyzed on the floor. But also some tragedy, too. Like the local bookstore / trader owner, Kris (Lou Taylor Pucci) who just got out of rehab and talks Arlen into giving him free advice, then Arlen can give him five books for each question. Even HE doesn’t believe his own crap. He just wants the books out of his house. But Kris is near financial ruin and can’t afford to pay for the books.

Lauren Graham always has this girl-next-door quality, like someone you’d like to be friends with. She does that in this movie, too. And the pairing of her and Daniels – their characters become romantically entangled – works on several levels. He needs her to get out in the world. She needs him because he’s surprisingly good with her son. And they genuinely like each other. They just need to get over themselves to make a go of it.  

If you like quirky, romantic, heartfelt, funny movies, then check out “The Answer Man.” It’s much more than a romantic comedy or dramedy or whatever you want to call it. This is one movie that defies being categorized, and is all the better for it.

Image: Magnolia Pictures